As a parent these clichéd words may have crossed your mind, even if they didn't come out of your mouth. "Kids today..." have toys we couldn't have dreamed of, how could any kid be bored in this interconnected, AI-powered, interactive machine learning century?
We are passionate about traditional, simple wooden toys, but it's not because we have a philosophical opposition to batteries and in-app purchases. Our kids don't live in a home that's walled off from the electronic world. There are some really great, clever, engaging electronic amusements for kids and it would be hopeless to keep our kids away from them 24/7. The truth is, we just love simple toys because they are... boring.
Boredom shouldn't be seen as the natural enemy of the restless preschooler. A bored kid can be a handful, sure, but boredom also offers its own gifts and discoveries. We curate toys that play well with boredom. Our collection leaves a lot to the imagination, quite literally, and your child is ready to fill in those gaps. A good old fashioned boring toy is an empty vessel, a blank canvas just waiting for a growing mind to come along. Boredom is the point!
Our friends at Toys R Us Canada recently ran a Boycott Boredom campaign, and that's what got us thinking about the Joy of Boredom. No offense to the folks at Toys R Us (they stock some great products that fit right in to our niche!), but we don't know if it's wise to raise a generation of kids who have never had to learn how to cope with boredom. A long ride in the back seat without a digital distraction may be a scary proposition for most parents, but it's in those long dull hours that some of the best family silliness and creativity might grow naturally. A rainy day - or worse, a power outage - may strike fear in the hearts of many caregivers, but we might be amazed at how well our little ones find a way to make something out of nothing.
We aren't the only ones yearning for the days when being bored was in vogue. Children and adults have been shown to develop more creative approaches to a variety of scenarios after being exposed to just a pinch of boredom. In fact, in one study, participants who were bored performed better than those who were "relaxed, elated or distressed" on creativity tests. Put simply, boredom may be the magic ingredient that helps wonder grow.
We are proud to offer the best new and previously loved boring toys. If you're yearning for the boring days of yore, we have just launched our collection of classic vintage toys! "Back in my day..." doesn't have to be a distant memory any more. A boring toy is as open-ended as they come, and we promise that a creative mind will keep it powered up for a lot longer than any battery ever could.
What's your favourite way to bore yourself? Leave a comment below!