So many parents are concerned about privacy and safety restrictions on their child’s Smartphone (and rightfully so!) that they neglect to think about some of the other negative repercussions of their kids’ phone use. If you’re one of them, you may want to think about whether having too much technology at their fingertips could be robbing your youngsters of their creativity. Consider this:
### Boredom is Good
Do you remember staring at your walls until the patterns blurred when you were a kid? I do! Looking back, these were the times when I cooked up some of my best ideas and played out my most elaborate stories using my (gasp!) imagination! Today’s kids don’t stare at their walls, though. They stare at their iPhones or other tech devices, and they rely on this technology to entertain them instantly. Kids love it, of course, but that doesn’t mean it’s the best for them or their brains. According to ReadWrite.com, multiple studies have proven that boredom boosts creativity and imaginative thinking. In a recent BBC article, Dr. Teresa Belton, a senior researcher at the University of East Anglia’s School of Education and Lifelong Learning, said that children who spend too much of their time in front of a screen can actually lose the ability to be creative. Most parents hate hearing their children say they’re bored, but apparently, it should be music to our ears sometimes!
### Not All Apps are Stifling
Having said that, it’s pretty clear that digital devices such as Smartphones and tablets are here to stay. Instead of forcing our kids to hand them over, it’s our job to teach them how to use this technology to their benefit instead of their detriment. In addition to setting time limits for usage, parents and teachers can direct kids to apps that stimulate creativity rather than stifle it. Need some ideas? Try Drawp, a social drawing game for children or Hakitzu, a strategy game that teaches kids to code.
As a final tip, if you’re considering limiting your child’s tech use to promote boredom (for the sake of creativity, of course!), be sure to do it gradually lest he experience withdrawal symptoms!
