As parents, we often wonder if our babies can actually get bored. The answer might surprise you: yes, infants can indeed experience boredom. While it might not be as complex as adult boredom, it is a real phenomenon with observable behaviors.
Limited Attention Span: Infants have a limited attention span and can become bored with a particular toy or activity if it does not engage them sufficiently. This is why they often seem to quickly lose interest in a toy or game.
Need for Novelty: Like adults, infants also seek novelty and stimulation. Studies have shown that infants show a preference for novel stimuli over familiar ones. When faced with familiar stimuli for too long, they can become disinterested.
Sensory Stimulation: Babies crave sensory stimulation to help them learn about the world around them. Lack of stimulation can lead to boredom. This is why it's important for caregivers to provide a variety of sensory experiences for their infants.
Signs of Boredom: While babies can't express boredom verbally, they can show signs of it through their behavior. These may include restlessness, fussiness, and a lack of interest in their surroundings.
Implications for Development: Boredom can actually be beneficial for infants' development. It can motivate them to explore their environment and seek out new experiences, which is crucial for learning and brain development.
In conclusion, while infant boredom might not be the same as adult boredom, it is a real phenomenon with important implications for development. Understanding and responding to your baby's need for stimulation and novelty can help keep them engaged and happy.
References:
1. Diamond, A. (2013). Executive functions. Annual Review of Psychology, 64, 135-168.
2. Kidd, C., Piantadosi, S. T., & Aslin, R. N. (2012). The Goldilocks effect: human infants allocate attention to visual sequences that are neither too simple nor too complex. PLoS ONE, 7(5), e36399.
3. Sullivan, M. W., Lewis, M., & Alessandri, S. M. (1992). Cross-age stability in emotional expressions in infancy: Evidence from facial expressions. Child Development, 63(4), 998-1006.
@timothy1212 Oh yeah, my 6 month old was bored with me today during her nightly massage. Not sure how a person can be bored slathered in coconut oil, red light glowing, and cool jazz playing but she definitely had enough after about 2 minutes.
@timothy1212 Thanks for posting. Is there research on whether to leave babies in a bored state with no change in stimuli? ie to force imagination. And is there a minimum age where this is useful? Any research on tradeoffs or right mix of new stimuli vs boredom?
@timothy1212 Dr Pamela Douglas why wrote ‘The discontented little baby’ explains that we often mistake boredom signs in babies for tired cues and that before trying to put the baby down for a nap, it’s a good idea to change their surroundings first. It’s a great baby book
@timothy1212 I feel like my 8 week old gets bored sometimes so I read to him, go outside, show him tv, the house etc. outside of that what else can you really do?
@timothy1212 I was just talking about this with my husband! My LO is 3 months old but she express herself very clearly when she wants to a change of scenery.
@timothy1212 While they can get bored I also think it’s important to not suddenly change things the second you think they are bored and feel like you constantly have to entertain them. Because they can’t tell you why they are fussing it’s just your interpretation of why they are acting like that. You think they’re bored - but are they really?
My baby will start fussing sometimes but she will also often look around and find something else to look at. I think it can be exhausting to constantly feel like you keep having to find new things to do. So yes babies can get bored but that doesn’t mean you have to immediately entertain them or intervene. And maybe it’s good to allow your baby to maybe be bored sometimes and find their own way to be entertained instead of learning if they fuss they will get immediate attention.
@timothy1212 I literally was just trying to find information on this cause my two month old was being fussy and I couldn’t figure out why. I trying to see if maybe he needed something fun to do
