The recent surge of technology has changed the way children perceive the world. In fact, it would not be wrong to say that the bleeding edge technology has flipped the conventional horizon of recreation. Gone are the days when children could sit on a bench and read a book while observing nature, or engage in simple play structures in the community park. Game consoles are the king of our Tyke’s world and there is nothing we can do to change that. This post will discover why children find technological gaming devices far more attractive than the conventional play structures and how is boredom playing a part in this matter.
The Boredom Monster
Before we go any further, it is worth spending a few seconds in getting acquainted with the origin of the boredom monster. Research suggests that boredom can originate from 2 main sources. First, children experience boredom when they have a low arousal level that keeps the brain active during any activity. Low arousal levels can usually manifest themselves in children when the activity does not entail a subject that intrigues. The best example of this form of boredom is a classroom activity that is usually bores children, especially if it is about a subject that they found less interesting.
The second form of boredom originates from high levels of energy that fails to find its way into a useful activity. In other words, when children have high level of arousal and they don’t find anything to put the energy into, they feel bored.
So What Exactly Boredom Doing to Our Children?
When children don’t find outdoor playground equipment interesting enough, they voluntarily submit themselves to the digital devices that in the long run damage their cognitive and physical health. More than 16 % of youngsters suffer from obesity and corpulence related diseases that have disabled them from performing a challenging task that they should be able to perform without any hassle.
What Kind of Boredom your Tyke has?
Before you can cook up strategies to help your child eliminate boredom from his life, understand what kind of boredom your child suffers from. If the boredom case 1 (as discussed above) then helps your child make through the boring stuff. In case your child has the second type of boredom (which is the most commonly occurring type of boredom), allow him to have ample opportunities for active play. Commercial playground equipment and school playground equipment are a great way to let kids channel their energy into healthy activities.
There is a possibility that your child might not find the conventional playgrounds interesting. However, playgrounds are not the only place that can help kids with tediousness. You can engage your child in intriguing activities that not only edify them, but also help them have ample physical exercise. Ask your child what interests him the most and plan activities accordingly. Children have different tastes when it comes to physical activity, which makes it crucial to have their opinion about the activities.
Got something to add to the above discussion? Feel free to share your opinion with us through our comment section.
Creative Play Systems 