“I’m bored.”
As parent you want to immediately fix that situation, so you suggest something.
“That’s boring.” comes the reply.
You suggest something else.
“Don’t want to.”
And suddenly you feel like the full-time activities coordinator of the household — except nobody likes your programme.
If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone.
School holidays are long, and boredom shows up often. But here’s the reassuring truth that I only realised in recent years:
Boredom isn’t a problem to fix. It’s a skill to build.
Here’s how to handle “I’m bored” during the school holidays — without turning yourself into a cruise director.
Why Boredom Isn’t the Enemy
When children say they’re bored, it usually means one of three things:
Our natural instinct is to solve it.
But when we immediately provide entertainment, we accidentally teach them that boredom = Mum fixes it.
Instead, I found that my most powerful weapon in my arsenal was to gently shift the responsibility back.
1. The 3-Try Rule
I found this to be an excellent way of getting them to try something first. If your kids are anything like mine, they will dismiss pretty much any suggestion I make as 'boring'. However I find that once they actually start and give things a try, they will quickly get into it. They may not like all suggestions, so having a 3 things to try rule is good as it allows you to mix it up a little and give options without managing the entire entertainment.
When your child says, “I’m bored,” calmly respond:
“Have you tried three things yet?”
The rule:
They must attempt three independent ideas before asking for help.
Examples:
It removes you from centre stage without dismissing them.
2. Create a Simple Boredom Jar
I introduced a boredom jar into our lives a couple of years ago and it has honestly been a sanity saver! Sometimes I feel so overwhelmed with the constant requests for activities to do that I can't think straight. So we came up with the boredom jar instead. It takes away the pressure of coming up with ideas and ties in nicely with the 3 things to try rule above.
I find that a boredom jar works best when it’s:
You can include prompts like:
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Build a Lego house with only blue pieces
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Draw your dream bedroom
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Create a mini obstacle course
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Make a comic strip
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Write a menu for a pretend restaurant
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Do 20 star jumps then design a superhero
Keep it realistic. And most importantly, avoid things that require heavy supervision. The end goal here is to encourage independence.
You can even divide into categories (colour coded pieces of paper work great here):
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Quick ideas (10 minutes)
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Creative ideas
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Outdoor ideas
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Tidy & earn ideas
3. Set “Independent Play Blocks”
During school holidays, endless free time can feel overwhelming.
Instead of open-ended days, try:
Morning:
Free play block
After lunch:
Quiet hour
Late afternoon:
Outdoor play
Even loose structure reduces boredom complaints because children know what to expect. You can write it on a piece of paper and hang it up somewhere everyone can see. If you're children can't yet read, add pictures.
If you’d like a simple rhythm for the day, I share one in my post about creating a flexible school holiday routine.
4. Don’t Fill Every Gap
This is so important. As parent we often feel pressured into filling every gap in our children's day, making sure they are occupied. However, as I have learnt, that actually makes matters worse as they then struggle to come up with anything when they do actually have some free time.
When children experience unstructured time, they:
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Create imaginary games
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Build elaborate setups
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Get inventive
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Learn problem-solving
But only if we don’t step in too quickly.
Sometimes the best response to “I’m bored” is:
“That’s okay.”
It feels uncomfortable at first — but it works.
5. Create an “Activity Shelf”
Instead of being the storage unit for ideas in your head, make ideas visible. This is similar to the boredom jar idea. Make sure it is visible and easy to reach.
An activity shelf might include:
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Puzzle box
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Craft basket
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Sticker books
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Lego tray
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Colouring folder
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Board game stack
When children can see options, they’re more likely to choose one. It's a good idea to rotate them every so often so that the options seem new.
This works especially well on lower-energy days (which I talk more about in my Low-Energy School Holiday Days post).
6. Use the 10-Minute Challenge
Sometimes children resist starting.
Try:
“Set a timer for 10 minutes. Just start.”
Often they’ll continue once momentum builds.
You can turn this into mini challenges:
Short time frames feel manageable and if your kids are anything like mine, a race or time limit of sorts seems to help fire them up.
7. Teach the Difference Between Bored and Restless
I have also learnt that sometimes when the kids say they are bored, they actually mean:
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I need fresh air
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I’m tired
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I’m hungry
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I need connection
Before suggesting activities, check:
A quick walk or snack can solve more than another craft.
If snacks are a constant theme in your house during holidays, my School Holiday Snack Ideas post might help reduce that cycle.
8. Build Independence Gradually
Not every child is able to play by themselves. If your child genuinely struggles with independent play, start small. It is often a skillset that needs to be learnt. I have one of each. My eldest has always been very good at occupying himself, he happily plays by himself and even now at the age of 10, he will take himself to his room and come up with elaborate games involving his cars or football cards. My daughter on the other hand found it harder to play by herself and it was something I had to gently encourage. She is pretty good now but still likes to have company. So she often sits in the kitchen doing some colouring or crafting while I fold the washing or cook dinner.
So if you have a child that doesn't know how to play independently, start encouraging it slowly.
Day 1:
10 minutes solo play
Day 3:
15 minutes
Build it slowly.
Praise effort:
“I love how you figured that out yourself.”
Confidence grows through practice.
9. Use “Boredom = Opportunity” Days
Some of the best holiday memories come from:
Boredom often sparks creativity — but only after the complaint stage. Try asking them: 'If you could do anything you wanted right now, what would it be?' I find that sometimes a few silly prompts help. 'Would you like to go mining for cheese on the moon?' or 'Shall we explore the jungle for the lesser spotted tiger-elephant?' The sillier, the better.
10. Keep Expectations Realistic
Children will say they’re bored.
Especially in week two.
Especially on rainy days.
It doesn’t mean you’re failing.
It doesn’t mean the holiday is ruined.
It doesn’t mean you need a paid activity.
Often it just means they need time to figure out their own ideas.
If you’re trying to keep holidays calm without overspending, I share more realistic planning tips in my guide on surviving the school holidays without overspending.
A Gentle Reminder
You are NOT a cruise director.
You do not need:
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A packed timetable
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Constant crafts
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Expensive days out
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Elaborate setups
Children don’t need constant entertainment.
They need:
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Some rhythm
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Some boundaries
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Some independence
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Some connection
Boredom is part of growing up.
Let it sit sometimes.
And trust that you don’t need to fix every empty moment.
You’re allowed to say,
“That sounds like something you can figure out.”
And then drink your coffee while it’s still warm 💛
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