As a writer–and a mom of two wildly imaginative children–I spend a lot of time engaging with creativity. Many people want to be more artistic or raise more artistic kids, and while I’m not a psychologist, I’m here to share a strategy that works for my family. Want to have great ideas? Leave space to get bored. 

Is being bored good for you? A recent New York Times article explained why we should let kids get bored occasionally–it develops their imaginations and makes them better problem solvers. I’m not advocating doing nothing all day, but I’ve found that some downtime is crucial to my writing; I can’t come up with stories if my mind is too cluttered. I’m busy, but I make space for creativity by a) not overburdening myself—I say no a lot! and b) taking advantage of opportunities to daydream. I get some of my best ideas while emptying the dishwasher–my hands are occupied, I’m being productive, and I allow my mind to wander. Similarly, if I have to wait somewhere–like in line at the supermarket–I DON’T take out my phone. I look at the people around me and I brainstorm: Hmm, that couple is fighting; I wonder what happened before they got here. The girl has a cool accent–sounds like a character waiting to happen. Ideas are constantly floating around us if we take time to notice them.

Here are my tips for letting boredom inspire you and your kids:

Downtime means NO SCREENS

My kids watch plenty of TV–I don’t know how I’d survive without cartoons! But when I refer to downtime in this post, I’m talking screen-free. Your child’s imagination grows when he’s playing pretend, drawing, making crafts, or building with blocks–not using the iPad.

Overscheduling is your enemy

Families today are SO BUSY. It gives ME anxiety to watch parents grabbing their kids at school and racing off to a new activity every day of the week. It’s great for kids to pursue their interests, but they also need room to breathe…so how many extracurricular activities is too many? Every family is different, but if your child is stressed out or overly dependent on you to organize her time, those are clues that you should drop some activities. In my family, we have a rule: each season, my kids participate in TWO activities. They pick what they want–soccer, music, dance, whatever–and they stick to those choices. They can’t add a third activity, even if all their friends are doing it. I’ve heard plenty of complaints over this, but I know being overstimulated isn’t healthy, and I know my kids’ limits. They’re happier in the long run when I protect their downtime.

Parents have the best intentions when packing their children’s schedules: you want your kids to learn and grow and you don’t want them to miss out. But if your child never gets a minute of unstructured time, she IS missing out. She’s not tapping into the power of her imagination–and her self-regulation skills may suffer, too. 

Celebrate and model imagination

Be excited about everything your kids make–even if it’s the millionth crayon drawing you’ve seen. Listen to their pretend stories, wear that crazy beaded bracelet, hang the foam monsters on the fridge. Their artwork may seem silly, but it’s a form of self-expression; if you respond positively, your kids will keep creating and get better and better at it. At the same time, if you have a creative hobby, don’t treat it as a guilty pleasure or a waste of time. You like to knit or sculpt or bake–so do it! You’re showing your child that making “useless” things is valuable–that we can find joy in creating, even if the results aren’t perfect.

We’re close to the start of a new school year. As you plan your kids’ schedules (and yours as well!), consider the value of downtime. You may be amazed at how creative your family can be.