5 Causes of Boredom in Toddlers

A bored toddler is an unhappy toddler, and an unhappy toddler makes an unhappy household. Boredom in toddler can contribute to tantrums, bossiness, rule-breaking, dangerous behavior and even sleep disturbances. If your toddler is prone to boredom, it's likely that he's simply bright and interactive-- not "hyper" or spoiled. Here are a few of the most common reasons that toddlers get bored.

1. He's getting too much of one thing. If your toddler spends the majority of his time engaged in any one activity-- be in television, books or outdoor play-- this task will eventually get old and lose its charm. For this reason, it's a good idea to alternate your child's primary source of entertainment from day to day. If your child is crazy about television, limit it to half an hour a day. If he wants you to read her 50 books a day, give him another task, like creating his own book. If you vary your toddler's activities from day to day, he's less likely to grow bored with them.

2. She's not getting enough one-on-one attention. A child can have every toy, movie and book in the world, and it's still not a substitute for real human interaction. If your toddler is bored despite an endless supply of activities, games, and toys, it's likely that a lack of human attention if the primary cause of her boredom Fight this by dedicating at least half an hour of every day to directly interacting with your child, with no other distractions. You'll be surprised at how quickly your toddler's boredom vanishes and her behavior improves.

3. He needs a change of scenery. If you are a stay-at-home parent, and your toddler is not in any form of preschool or daycare, he may simply be bored because he is in the same place too often. Defeat cabin-fever boredom by taking your toddler out, even if there's no ultimate purpose to leaving the house. Go for a walk, visit the park, explore the library, or check out a local children's museum. This will help to break the monotony of stay-at-home life and help to broaden your toddler's experiences.

4. She needs intellectual stimulation. Toddlers' brains are developing very rapidly, and if they don't get enough food for thought, the result is boredom and misbehavior. Provide your child with plenty of mind-stimulating activities, from wooden puzzles to coloring sheets to preschool workbooks. To feel fulfilled and emotionally satisfied, your toddler needs to learn something new not just every day, but every hour.

5. He needs a task. Your toddler's boredom may be the result of insufficient guidance. It's not a good idea to boss your toddler around unnecessarily, but it is good to set limits and goals. For example, ask your toddler to count all of the blue objects he can find in a room. Ask him to find things that begin with an "A" sound. Give him a coloring page and ask him to color everything orange and red. If he has enough of a sense of direction, boredom and misbehavior are less likely.