There's a universal complaint that starts sometime around age 2 and apparently doesn't stop until college. Oh, and it usually hits about 1.5 minutes after you finish cleaning up from the last activity. 🫠
"I'm bored."
So. Here are some notes for all of us.
In this issue:
✅ What boredom is actually doing for your kid's brain
✅ Permission to say no to the constant play requests
✅ A go-bag of cheap diversions for public
✅ The one versatile item that keeps earning its footprint
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🧠 Boredom is doing something
👉 Quick note for anyone who hasn't seen the research yet: boredom is genuinely good for kids.
When kids have nothing handed to them, their brains switch into a different mode. That's where creativity comes from. That's where imaginative play gets invented. Research on unstructured time shows it builds executive function (planning, self-regulation), emotional self-management, and the ability to generate their own ideas — all things that are…you know…good. And they don't happen when there's always something to react to.
So when your kid says they're bored? You're not failing. You might just be giving their brain exactly what it needs. Winner, winner.
Now. The harder part for parents of little ones.
This is all well and good for big kids, but what about the 2-year-old standing at your knee saying "play with me" on repeat for 45 minutes? Learning to say no to every play request is a whole skill, and an uncomfortable one, especially when you already feel like you're not around enough. (A heartbreaker, honestly.)
But here's the permission slip: they will be fine. As long as they're getting enough quality time in other moments, declining a play request isn't neglect. It's teaching them something.
What we like: the timer trick. "Mama will play with you until the timer goes off. Then you play while Mama does X." Set 10-15 minutes, be fully present for that window, then hand it back. We’ve seen this ‘click’ surprisingly quickly.
🎒 The wait-it-out stash
👉 Ten things under $10 that are worth keeping in a bag for restaurants, waiting rooms, long drives — anywhere the "I'm bored" hits in public:
Water Wow! reusable paint pads — just add water, dries and resets
Wikki Stix — bend into anything, stick to any surface. (Note: do NOT leave these in the car please.)
Color Wonder mess-free markers + pad — only shows on the special paper
Tangle toy — silent, endlessly satisfying, works for every age including you
Squigz suction cup toys — stick to restaurant windows, high chair trays, any smooth surface
Magic growing animal capsules (like these) — drop in a cup of water/water bottle, watch a critter hatch. (these are the faster version than the ‘growing’ animals)
Water transfer tattoos — ask the server for a cup of water, apply to arm. Twenty minutes, easy.
Repositionable sticker scene books — not the one-and-done kind
Pipe cleaners + small pom poms — $2 at any dollar store, fine motor obsession for ages 2-5
Googly eye stickers + a small notepad — they will make faces on everything. You're welcome.
Unconventional stuff that works:
Car keys. Push the button: everyone freezes. Push again: everyone unfreezes. Works in grocery stores, waiting rooms, airport gates (just don’t push the alarm!)
The straw game. In any restaurant, grab a straw and a napkin square. Blow it across the table, try to keep it in bounds. Tournament rules optional.
The cup game. Two cups, one small item from the table (a sugar packet, a coin). Which cup? Swap as needed. Toddlers are terrible at this and think it's magic.
Menu numbers. How many 5s can you find on the menu? How many pictures? How many words with the letter B? Infinite variations.
🪣 The one item that earns its keep
👉 If you're going to buy one thing for summer boredom, skip the single-use water table. The better buy is a versatile activity table you rotate instead — one item, five completely different setups, 1-minute prep, about 5 minutes of cleanup, endlessly reusable.
The IKEA FLISAT sensory table (~$100 at IKEA) is the one most parents swear by. It's the right height, has removable inserts, and holds everything you need it to. If you're not near an IKEA or it's out of stock, this WINGYZ version on Amazon is around the same price with the same removable-bin setup.
Here's how to rotate it:
Setup 1 — Bubble wash: Fill with water + dish soap + a few paintbrushes. Wash small plastic toys, "paint" with suds.
Setup 2 — Dig site: Kinetic sand + small gems/plastic animals buried inside. Add tiny shovels or spoons.
Setup 3 — Threading station: Fill with different dried pasta shapes (rigatoni, penne, wagon wheels) and give them a lace or a piece of thick yarn.
Setup 4 — Sensory kitchen: Shaving foam or aquafaba foam (if you want non-toxic) + a few serving spoons and cups. Measuring, scooping, stirring.
Setup 5 — Classic rice bin: Dried rice, measuring cups, small funnels, a few small toys or gems buried inside. Tip: lay a towel under the table to catch what escapes, and store the rice in a Tupperware or bin with a snapping lid (way easier to pour back in than you'd think).
Each setup costs under $5 in supplies if you don't have them already. Table lasts for years.
When they say "I'm bored," what actually happens?
💼 This Week's Work WTF
Inspired by real life events.
Scenario:
You're in the grocery checkout line. Your kid is right next to you, eating a snack, completely fine. You're on your phone answering emails. The person behind you makes a face.
What We Wish We Could Say:
My child is eating a cheese stick and has not bothered me in six minutes. I'm going to enjoy this.
Steal This Response:
Nothing. You don't owe a stranger in the checkout line an explanation. Ignore and move on.
K that's all. You're the best and we love you.
-CK "Learning to say no" Fuller (Editor) & the JB Crew 🫡
P.S. Next week: low-effort, big-impact birthday ideas that a working parent can actually pull off without days of planning.
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