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Let children get bored

burymecloser

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Children should be allowed to get bored so they can develop their innate ability to be creative, an education expert says.

"When children have nothing to do now, they immediately switch on the TV, the computer, the phone or some kind of screen. The time they spend on these things has increased.

"But children need to have stand-and-stare time, time imagining and pursuing their own thinking processes or assimilating their experiences through play or just observing the world around them."

It is this sort of thing that stimulates the imagination, she said, while the screen "tends to short circuit that process and the development of creative capacity".

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-21895704

This makes some intuitive sense to me, though tbh, the article is kind of crap.
 

Atomic Fiend

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I'll say, does he know what children do when they're bored? Seriously?

They're at their worst when looking for something to do.
 

Lark

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Ironic, although possibly reflective of the lack of pundits on this topic, that its a news corporation broadcasting the view that screen time is bad.

To be honest I think this is correct, I would say it is as correct for most adults as it is for children though. In the UK they discussed an earlier close to broadcasting and even attempting to reintroduce the limits upon broadcasting which existed from long ago, like when I was a child, which meant that there was a cut off point at night of like midnight and some networks did not broadcast until lunch time the next day because 24hr broadcasting was assessed as playing a major part in the lack of structure and routine and contingent sleep disorders in the UK.
 

Such Irony

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Look at all the kids bored out their minds at school. I don't think it's making them more creative. Probably the opposite.

I think it works if the kid is allowed to have their mind wander. It doesn't work so well if they are forced to pay attention to something of no interest or relevance to them at the time (like school at times).
 

Little_Sticks

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"When children have nothing to do now, they immediately switch on the TV, the computer, the phone or some kind of screen. The time they spend on these things has increased.

"But children need to have stand-and-stare time, time imagining and pursuing their own thinking processes or assimilating their experiences through play or just observing the world around them."

It is this sort of thing that stimulates the imagination, she said, while the screen "tends to short circuit that process and the development of creative capacity".

You could then apply that same principle to books though. Personally, I think TV is vastly different than a computer. A computer is interactive and you can do a lot with it, including reading and making different types of art (music, graphics, programming, video, forum discussions that make people think, etc.). A computer can easily stimulate creativity. Perhaps it can stimulate too much though without filtering it, which would be a different argument against its use, I suppose...
 

burymecloser

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You could then apply that same principle to books though.
I think you're right -- that's consistent with the idea. Reading a book or using a computer, or even watching television, aren't necessarily bad activities, and I don't believe the expert is suggesting they cease. The argument is that when children are not provided with external stimulation, they're forced to be creative. I think it's an idea that makes sense on a basic level, with real flaws when you try to move beyond theory.
 

Newbyagain

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Well I would say they need quiet time anyway, just at least because constantly feeding your senses and distracting yourself doesn't give you time to grow, think, develop and such.
 

roman67

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But these days nobody get bored because there is so much technology to entertain anybody.
 

Avocado

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But these days nobody get bored because there is so much technology to entertain anybody.

True, but I believe that boredom is not the awnser so much as imaginative play.
 
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