To Be Bored, Or Not To Be: An exploration of the benefits of boredom and downtime
By: Ravi Ameet Patel, MS3 and Rebecca Unger, MD
In the modern metric-driven world, children often have busy schedules filled with school, extracurricular clubs, sports, as well as the mixed blessing, screen time. While structured activities are valuable for growth, emerging research shows that downtime (periods of rest, unstructured play, and quiet reflection) is needed for healthy development. Downtime helps children rest their minds, build resilience, and develop key social, emotional, and cognitive skills that structured activities cannot provide.
What Is “Downtime”?
Downtime refers to periods when children are not directed by adults, not following a rigid schedule, and not engaged with screens or structured tasks. It looks different by age but often includes unstructured play, quiet moments of daydreaming, free exploration, and rest. Having this time allows children to unwind, think independently, and process the experiences in their otherwise busy days.
Benefits of Downtime Include Healthy Mental and Emotional Development
Research has shown that unstructured, adventurous play is associated with better mental health outcomes. A 2022 study in Child Psychiatry & Human Development found that children aged 5–11 years who spent more time in adventurous play had fewer internalized problems (such as anxiety) and more positive emotions. This suggests that play, independent of adults, helps children learn how to manage emotions, regulate stress responses, and feel better about themselves.
Quality downtime also includes recess and free breaks, which is more than “time off.” It’s an opportunity for the brain to rest, reorganize, and prepare for new learning. The American Academy of Pediatrics highlights that an unstructured break like recess leads to better attention and productivity afterward, compared with simply switching between tasks. Continuous structured activities without rest do not give children the mental space to consolidate what they learned.
When children are left to guide their own play or engage in downtime, they naturally practice problem-solving, decision-making, social negotiation, cooperation, leadership, and adaptability. Research by child development experts suggests that free play promotes social competence, conflict resolution, and self-discipline. These skills readily translate to academic performance and long-term success.
Downtime by Age Group
Infants (0–12 Months)
Downtime looks like: quiet cuddle time, looking around during stroller walks, tummy time without constant toys or noise.
Toddlers (1–3 Years)
Downtime includes free exploration and simple pretend play. A study published in Frontiers in Psychology found that children who had more less-structured time demonstrated stronger self-directed executive functioning later (Barker et al., 2014). At this age, boredom often sparks creativity.
Downtime looks like: playing with blocks without instructions, exploring safe outdoor spaces, “helping” with household tasks at their own pace.
Preschoolers (3–5 Years)
Downtime includes imaginative play and social negotiation. The American Academy of Pediatrics emphasizes that play is essential for healthy development.
Downtime looks like: dress-up games, building forts, playing “house” or “school,” outdoor climbing, or open-ended art.
School-Age Children (6–12 Years)
Downtime includes recess, hobbies, quiet reflection, and independent play. Research has shown that less-structured time is linked to stronger executive functioning skills—such as planning and self-control—which are critical during these years (Barker et al., 2014). Without these breaks, children’s cognitive performance declines. The brain needs rest to consolidate information.
Downtime looks like: unstructured backyard play, reading for pleasure, freely building with construction toys (like LEGOs), drawing, daydreaming.
Adolescents (13–18 Years)
Downtime here includes decompression, creative outlets, social connection without pressure. Teen brains are still developing specifically in areas responsible for impulse control and emotional regulation. At the same time, teens face increasing academic, social, and extracurricular pressures. Teens need space to think, reflect, and explore who they are without constant performance demands.
Downtime looks like: journaling, sketching, music, unstructured time with friends, creative hobbies, quiet alone time without screens.
How Can Parents Encourage Healthy Downtime?
Here are practical ways to make downtime a regular, beneficial part of your child’s life:
Build unstructured play into daily routines with children choosing what and how they play.
Protect quiet time after school or before bed without screens or activities.
Encourage outdoor play even as simple play in the backyard.
Be patient with boredom—it’s not a problem to solve, it’s a skill to build.
Prioritize role modeling how you value rest and reflection, as children learn by watching adults. This means putting down your own phone when you are with your children whenever possible.
And…short cut tools for what to do when you hear “I’m bored”?
With your child:
Build/decorate a “boredom box” to be at the ready—include craft supplies, books, building materials to encourage unstructured play.
Brainstorm a list (with ongoing updates) for your child to use as a reference for fun and independent activities.
Go outside to nature’s playground—encourage looking under rocks and looking up at trees!
Downtime may look like “nothing happening,” but under the surface, powerful developmental work is taking place. When children have room to think, rest, imagine, and play freely, they grow into more resilient, creative, socially capable, and emotionally healthy young people.
At the Northwestern Children’s Practice, we encourage families to intentionally protect downtime—not as wasted hours, but as essential building blocks of a healthy childhood!
Works Cited
American Academy of Pediatrics, Council on School Health. (2013). The crucial role of recess in school. Pediatrics, 131(1), 183–188. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2012-2993
Barker, J. E., Semenov, A. D., Michaelson, L., Provan, L. S., Snyder, H. R., & Munakata, Y. (2014). Less-structured time in children’s daily lives predicts self-directed executive functioning. Frontiers in Psychology, 5, 593. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2014.00593
Gray, P. (2011). The decline of play and the rise of psychopathology in children and adolescents. American Journal of Play, 3(4), 443–463.
Lester, S., & Russell, W. (2008). Play for a change: Play, policy and practice—A review of contemporary perspectives. National Children’s Bureau.
Poulain, T., et al. (2022). The role of adventurous play in children’s mental health during COVID-19: A longitudinal study. Child Psychiatry & Human Development. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10578-022-01363-2
Williams, K. E., Berthelsen, D., Walker, S., & Nicholson, J. M. (2017). A developmental cascade model of behavioral sleep problems and emotional and attentional self-regulation across early childhood. Behavioral Sleep Medicine, 15(1), 1–21. https://doi.org/10.1080/15402002.2015.1065410