• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

A Moment With Franca

A Family, Lifestyle & Travel Blog

  • Home
  • About
    • About Me
    • Contact
    • Privacy Policy
  • Family
    • Family Events
    • Family Life
    • Family Days Out
    • Birthdays
  • Lifestyle
    • Home & Interiors
    • Bathrooms
    • Bedrooms
    • Garden
    • Kitchen
    • Health
  • Travel
    • Days Out
    • Things To Do In London
    • Holidays
    • Press Trips
  • Reviews
    • Toys & Games
    • Days Out
    • Fashion
    • Beauty
  • Seasonal
    • Christmas
    • Halloween
    • Mother’s Day
    • Father’s Day
    • Easter
    • Valentine’s Day
  • Giveaways
  • Show Search
Hide Search

“Boredom Challenge” with Petits Filous

amomentwithfranca · 6 February 2018 · 54 Comments

A couple of weeks ago I shared a post about a Free Play campaign I am supporting with Petits Filous and BritMums. I have always been an advocate of this type of play so I was happy to be able to spread the word even more about this campaign. However, even though I love it and I tend to use it a lot, there are always new tips to learn so I was very excited to take part in the “Let them Be Bored Challenge“.

Giving children the freedom and space to play free is an essential part of their development. That is why allowing them to learn about the world around them, developing essential social skills and fostering their physical and cognitive development is so important.

STARTING THE CHALLENGE

Petits Filous is a great snack to use when our kids are enjoying some Free Play

The idea of this “boredom challenge” is to simply step back and let kids work through their boredom and Play Free, making sure they don’t reach for tablets, smartphones or TV’s as a boredom filler! I did this challenge over the period of a week (but not every day).

We started on a weekend. I wasn’t feeling well, with no voice and a blocked ear, so we spent most of the weekend at home. However, this was a good opportunity to let my girls entertain themselves.

Girls playing in a Maze

I normally let them use their tablets during the weekend but this wasn’t going to be an option. I explained the situation and asked them to play on their own.

I wasn’t sure if they would last too long without reaching for a tablet or TV, but to my surprise, they entertained themselves pretty well without help. My girls have a 4 year-gap so the eldest is normally the one who leads the games.  However, the youngest has a strong personality so that isn’t always the case, LOL!

DRESSING UP & MAKEUP GAME

Playing dress up and putting makeup on

They started with one of the games that they love a lot: dressing up and putting makeup on! They loved this game so much, so after an hour of playing in their room, my youngest came to show me her makeover. She was so happy and excited to show me how she looked, bless her! Then my eldest asked me what I thought. It was funny that despite them being on their own playing, they had the need to come and tell me what they were doing. This happens because apparently, kids love to be around us, so they play on their own but at the same time they need to check where we are.

PLAYING WITH DOLLS & PRETEND FOOD

Playing with dolls

Playing with pretend food

After her makeover, my youngest daughter went to play with her dolls. She loves to be the mother and spent a fair amount of time playing this game. I went to check on her after a little while but she was nowhere to be found. I finally found her in the bathroom playing with pretend food and Play Doh. She loves doing this. It was nice to see that she had found another game to play without any help. She then came to each of us offering some pretend food for us to ‘eat’ 😉

PLAYING TEACHERS

Playing teachers

My girls then decided that they wanted to play teachers. This is something my eldest loves a lot. She needs the little one to play this game but otherwise, she will line up all her dolls and play with them on her own pretending she is their teacher. She will give them books or blank paper with pencils for the lesson. She is so funny! This time, my youngest daughter was happy to play so this entertained them for another hour.

After playing teachers, they went to their room to play with their barbies and dollhouse. This is normally a good game but I don’t know why it usually ends in tears! The problem they have is that they want to play with the same dolls despite them having lots to choose from. I’m not sure why this happens so often. I, of course, wasn’t feeling very well to handle this properly so I kind of went and tried to sort it out as quick as I could. It wasn’t easy but I managed.

PLAYING IN THE PARK

Jumping in the park

A stick or an umbrella are great sources of entertainment 😉

For the remaining days, we did different things. I was feeling better so we went to the park where simply jumping up and down, playing with sticks or even having an umbrella were things that my girls enjoyed the most. Getting out of the house, despite the weather is always great entertainment. I love this Swedish quote I heard, “There’s no such thing as bad weather, just inappropriate clothing”. This is spot on, don’t you think?

OUR THOUGHTS AND ANITA’S TIPS & ADVICE

We were very lucky to be able to have the support of the prestigious Anita Cleare, parenting expert and co-founder of The Positive Parenting Project. After our challenge, we were able to have a conversation with her to discuss our experience and to get some tips and advice.

Overall, the challenge went pretty well and we managed to get the kids to entertain themselves as well as sparking their imaginations without mummy or daddies help. However, there were certain queries that I had that I discussed with Anita and these were her answers.

1. Problem Solving Skills & How to help our kids to stop fighting

We always have some inevitable fights between my girls. Even though they tend to play and get along well, there is always something that starts a fight. Most of the time the cause of the fight is very silly so we manage to sort it out pretty quickly but I wanted to discuss this with Anita, so I asked her about it and she gave me the following advice:

  • Ask what the problem is
  • Let them think what the solution could be
  • If we still have issues, we could say: “We need more ideas to solve the problem”.
  • It is very important that they must agree on the answer/solution to the problem.
  • Keep asking for more ideas if it doesn’t work.
  • We could say: “I can see you are not ready to sort it out so let’s put the doll away for now”
  • If you provide them with the skills to do it, they will be able to play beyond the problem.
  • We sometimes underestimate their skills. We should let them have the opportunity to solve their own problems without our help.
  • We need to provide very little assistance as we tend to step in too quickly
  • It is important that they play with children their own age, with older kids as well as with adults. It is part of learning social skills.

You can read more about Problem Solving Skills HERE and How to help our kids to stop fighting HERE where Anita has addressed both issues.

2. Positive Parenting in the Digital Age

Having a job that involves being on my laptop 24/7 or on social media makes me worry about the example I am giving to my girls. Also, daddy is an IT consultant, so you can imagine that gadgets are pretty much part of our life and routine.

As a parent, we are supposed to give an example, so if we let our kids see us around technology more than necessary, then they would do the same because it looks like this is how things should be. I find this hard to tackle but I want to improve it so I am conscious that we should have moments with no technology at all.

Another important thing that we discussed was the type of use of the technology. Sometimes it could be a positive use. For example, we have implemented “Friday Movie Nights“, so after dinner, when they are showered and with PJs on, we prepare popcorn, hot chocolate and choose a family movie which we watch together. This, for example, is a positive use of technology and should be embraced.

When your kids use their tablets it should be for producing something positive. For example, my eldest daughter loves filming with her iPad. She could record videos and put them together and she can produce something nice about her family. Again as long as she is using it for something that will encourage an improvement of her skill, it should be fine. Or when she does her Math homework on the PC. This is part of her school homework so she needs to use it so it should be embraced too. Also, she is now learning to send emails to her school friends as part of her tech development. I guess nowadays we cannot hide the fact that the world is changing and the digital age is upon us.

Three things I got from Anita’s advice:

  • We need to have time off technology
  • We need to have clear rules
  • Be clear what positive things are being done with technology (positive skills)

You can read more about Positive Parenting in the Digital Age HERE also written by Anita.

PERFECT SNACK FOR FREE PLAY

Petits Filous provides your child with the goodness of calcium and vitamin D, for healthy bones. Some foods, such as Petits Filous fromage frais, are fortified with it. A recent Change4Life campaign launched by Public Health England recommends Petits Filous, with less than 100 calories per serving, as a healthy snack for kids.

Petits Filous fromage frais keeps the fun going & is very convenient! We love it on the go too! Grab it and head out and you know they are getting something good to eat which will keep them going! If you would like to find out more about their latest campaign, please visit Petits Filous on Facebook.

TWITTER CHAT TIPS & ADVICE

Girls having a fantastic time playing in the park

We had a super interesting Twitter Chat where Anita and a lot of parents got involved in discussing Free Play. Anita gave so many great tips and fantastic advice that I wanted to share the ones which stuck in my head:

Advice for parents

  • It is better to have no phones at meal times.
  • Always try to eat at the table.
  • Try to go out no matter the weather.
  • Children only learn social skills and group dynamics by practising them so there is an argument for stepping back and letting them work it out together.
  • With little ones, you can teach the word gentle and give lots of praise whenever they are gentle. When they are aggressive, remove them from the situation for a few minutes and give no attention. Kids tend to repeat behaviour that gets attention.
  • A mess is always great! You should not be afraid of getting grubby and messy and just getting out there being less afraid of scrapes and falls and mud is fantastic.
  • When you are feeling guilty, it is good practice to repeat this to yourself:  “It is not my job to fill their every moment. A bit of boredom is good for them!”

Fun playing

Tips for great Free Play

  • Throwing some pots and pans and utensils on the kitchen floor. They can create their own band doing this.
  • Use empty boxes for playing, Kids love them.
  • Build dens using boxes, sheets, duvets, etc.
  • Have a treasure hunt where they find some berries, cones, leaves, sticks, etc.
  • Keep some toys aside and bring them back after a few days so you keep getting the surprise factor.
  • Have open shelves,  wooden draws or toy bags which your kids can easily take out to play and put back to keep tidy. It keeps things less messy

Are you scared of hearing “I’m bored!”? Do you let your kids get bored? Do you implement Free Play at home? What do you think of the “Let Them Be Bored” challenge? Are the tips and advice useful? Do you have more we can add to this post?

Disclosure: “I’m working with Petits Filous and BritMums promoting the #PetitsFilousPlayFree campaign about the importance of free play.”

Thanks for stopping by,

Love you all ❤️

Franca  💋

Linking up with:

Related

Filed Under: Food, Collaborative Posts, Nutrition, Parenting, Tips

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Five in the hive says

    18 February 2018 at

    What a great read. I have three children, two of which are addicted to their gadgets but I have to admit I do very little to encourage them otherwise. I’ve taken some valuable tips from you’re blog post, thank you! #KCACOLS

    Reply
  2. Mudpie Fridays says

    19 February 2018 at

    We try to go out as much as possible. The boys go stir crazy if not. I have loved being part of the campaign I feel like we have learnt loads by doing it. Have made a note of your tips as there are some great ideas included x

    Reply
  3. Malin - sensational leraning with Penguin says

    21 February 2018 at

    This is a great post! Love the discussion about problem solving, and also the points about screens. They can be good, when used constructively and not at the expense of getting outside etc.
    #KCACOLS

    Reply
  4. LIsa pomerantz says

    21 February 2018 at

    LET THEM PLAY! Three magical words that should define our kids’ childhood… I love this post! And, I am going to implemet your conflict resolution tonight! Or when I next need it, which is very likely tonight! M’wah! #kcacols

    Reply
  5. Veronica Lee says

    22 February 2018 at

    I love the idea of free play and anything that can pry my boys from their digital devices.

    Thanks for the great tips.

    #kcacols

    Reply
  6. Jacinta says

    23 February 2018 at

    Lovely to see them having such a great time. Mine love dressing up too. Thanks for taking part in the campaign. Commenting on behalf of myself and BritMums.

    Reply
  7. Frankie says

    23 February 2018 at

    It’s definitely good to give them time without tablets and just let them use their own imaginations. Our Grandsons love being outdoors and it gives them a chance to burn off some of their excess energy 🙂
    #KCACOLS

    Reply
  8. jeremy-thirstydaddy says

    23 February 2018 at

    Great ideas here. I’ve been very blessed with a kid that I can just throw outside and let her entertain herself. Now, I just need the weather to start cooperating #KCACOLS

    Reply
  9. Cassie Parish says

    23 February 2018 at

    I love this post. I was always left to my own devices as a kid so I try to do this with George in the hope he will develop my imagination and not hubs skeptic lack of magicalness lol.

    Couldn’t agree more about the weather. A trip to Wales in Winter will help you embrace this notion too.

    #KCACOLS

    Reply
  10. Sarah | Digital Motherhood says

    24 February 2018 at

    Looks like they had lots of fun. I find my daughter has a great imagination when she’s left to find things to do by herself. #KCACOLS

    Reply
  11. Amie says

    28 February 2018 at

    For Christmas we got our 2 year old a amazon kids tablet and she turned into a complete nightmare! Always asking for it and she wouldn’t ever just go off and play on her own – it was as though she’d completely lost all of her imagination so I really love this post! For the past month we’ve put her on a bit of a ban and rather that having it every day she only has it around once a week/fortnight which works so well now. The stories she makes up when playing with her horses and other animals are hilarious! #KCACOLS

    Reply
  12. Cheryl @ tea or wine says

    1 March 2018 at

    I love this Franca!! I agree that it’s important for kids to be bored so that they learn to amuse themselves rather than being handed a tablet! Thanks also for the technology tips! #KCACOLS x

    Reply
  13. Laura says

    1 March 2018 at

    I love the problem solving skills. My two are always fighting. Ethan is the dominant one and always wants to get his own way but Oliver is strong willed too so can fight back! #KCACOLS

    Reply
  14. Laura Dove says

    2 March 2018 at

    We loved doing this challenge and the results were so interesting! I have found since being “bored’ my children have never been as entertained. I love it! #kcacols

    Reply
  15. Maria says

    2 March 2018 at

    My boys get cabin fever if we stay in doors for too long so we have to find ways for them to entertain themselves. I completely agree though free play is so important for them to then be able to foster and improve on their imaginative skills. #KCACOLS

    Reply
  16. Nicola | Mummy to Dex says

    3 March 2018 at

    Looks like your girls have got great imagination! I loved a bit of free play when I was little and loved being out in the garden!

    #KCACOLS

    Reply
  17. Crummy Mummy says

    3 March 2018 at

    My three are left to entertain themselves a lot – I think it’s important and makes for independent kids #KCACOLS

    Reply
  18. Acorn Books says

    3 March 2018 at

    I’m always amazed at how inventive and imaginative children are when you leave them to be bored. Some great advice about resolving arguments and being more mindful of screen time. #KCACOLS

    Reply
    • amomentwithfranca says

      3 March 2018 at

      Thank you! 🙂

      Reply
  19. Meghan says

    5 March 2018 at

    I love to see I’m not the only parent who’s kids still play! I’m glad to see some tips on conflict resolution though, as it doesn’t take long for a fight to get started either. #KCACOLS

    Reply
« Older Comments

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

HI THERE, I’M FRANCA!

Hi, I'm Franca, a lawyer mum of 2 gorgeous girls married to my best friend, living in London. Award nominated parenting & lifestyle blogger. Read More…

Christmas Offer

Pines and Needles Discount Offer

Family Days Out

  • The Best Light Trails In London 2022
  • The London Transport Museum During Christmas
  • Monopoly Lifesized Review

Collaborative Videos

Popular Videos





AWARDS

BritMums



BritMums

Tots100

Tutora Best Parent Insight Blog Award Shortlist

RANKING

Tots100
Top 20 UK Parent Blog 2020

Flea Network Top 20 UK Parent Blog 2018

MEMBER

LINKY

Keep Calm and Carry On Linking Sunday
✨Happy Friday✨.Did you have a good week? Unf ✨Happy Friday✨.Did you have a good week? Unfortunately, it wasn’t that good for us because the girls have been under the weather. Bella started first with a sore throat and high fever for a few days and then when Bella got better, Sienna started! She got a horrible cough but no temperature. Her cough was that bad that she couldn’t sleep very well for a couple of nights. They are both much better now and back to school.. The weather hasn’t helped either. It has been so cold lately! I literally feel frozen all the time. Thankfully it is looking better atm as the temperatures are starting to rise. I decided to get my flu vaccine, so I hope it protects me from all these viruses that are going around! Have you had the flu vaccine too? .On another note, I went yesterday to a parents meeting about GCSE options for Bella. I can’t believe she needs to think about it already ahead of Year 9. The time really goes fast. Are your kids dealing with GCSEs too?.📸 Sharing this beautiful bouquet of flowers from @freddiesflowers to brighten up our day.#flowerarrangement #flowerdelivery #bouquetofflowers #flowersmakemehappy #loveflowers #flowersoftheday #flowersoftheweek #flowerlover #freshflowers #flowerobsession #bunchofflowers #foreverflowers #flowersofinstagram #homesweethome
Ad✨FUL London✨.I love going to the hairdress Ad✨FUL London✨.I love going to the hairdresser. It is one of my favourite things to do. There is nothing like the feeling you get when everything is done and your hair looks fantastic! I was so excited when @livetruelondon invited me again to visit one of their salons in London to try out a new treatment using their new hair care brand @ful_london Swipe left to see the final look ☺️.On the blog there is my review of this new hair treatment that has transformed my hair! Check the link in my bio ☺️.Do you invest in hair products? Do you like hair masks? .#livetruelondon #haircareproduct #haircareproducts #haircaretips #colouredhair #hairtreatment #blondehair #hairmask #balayagehair #over40 #over40blogger #overforty #overfortystyle #over40andfabulous #over40mom
✨Cadbury World✨.During the holidays we went ✨Cadbury World✨.During the holidays we went to @cadburyworlduk in Birmingham. The in-laws live close to the city so we decided to visit..I was surprised with the amount of activities they offer. I thought it was just a quick visit to the factory but how wrong I was. See below all the activities included with the price 👇🏻🍫 Aztec Jungle🍫 The Cadbury Story🍫 Journey to Europe🍫 4D Chocolate Adventure 🍫 Manufacturing 🍫 Gill Cocks Collection🍫 Making chocolate story🍫 Cadabra car ride🍫 Bull Street🍫 The Bournville Experience🍫 Chocolate Making🍫 Advertising Avenue🍫 Purple Planet🍫 Have a go discovering different chocolate making techniques and doodle your name with chocolate🍫 Cadbury World Chop with amazing prices🍫 Cadbury World Cafe🍫 African Adventure Play area (outside)🍫 Green Screen (you pay extra for photos)🍫 Character Meeting.You don’t have to do all the activities. You can go at your own pace and skip the activities you don’t fancy doing. Useful Information:📍 Cadbury World, 69 Linden Rd, Bournville, Birmingham B30 1JR💰 £18.95 Adults (16+), £13.95 Child (3-15), £59.85 Family of 4 (max 2 adults), Free for Under 3. 🍫 You get free chocolate! ⏰ THE MAIN ATTRACTION LASTS 1.5 - 2 HOURS. On average, visitors spend around 3-4 hours visiting Cadbury World. ℹ️ AGE RECOMMENDATION suitable for all ages.As you can see, there was plenty to do which entertained us for hours! The Cadabra car ride was cool! Watch the video until the end to see the activities we did ☺️.It was such a fun day out. We definitely recommend you to visit if you are in the area. And…..who doesn’t want some free chocolate, right? 🍫We sure did! 😂😋🙌🏻.Have you visited Cadbury World before?.#cadburyworldbirmingham #cadburyworld #cadbury #cadburydairymilk #cadburychocolate #chocolate #chocolatefactory #familydaysout #familydayout #familyfuntime #familyfunday #ukattractions #thingstodoinbirmingham #thingstodowithkids #familytime💕
Ad PR Invite✨Matilda The Musical✨.I was so e Ad PR Invite✨Matilda The Musical✨.I was so excited to take Sienna to watch @matildathemusical at Cambridge Theatre in Covent Garden thanks to @londontheatre (swipe left until the end to see a short video of the stage beautifully decorated) 🎭.I have already seen this musical twice with Bella but it was finally the time to take Sienna now she is older. She is the No 1 fan of Matilda. She knows all the songs and dances so she was over the moon to watch it in person. Apparently, she would love one day to be in that stage too! Bless her! 🥰.Even though I have seen it before, each time has brought a different experience for me as they change/rotate the cast often so it feels like a new show watching a new Matilda each time. This is the type of show that you wouldn’t mind watch it many times! 😀.Useful Information:📍Cambridge Theatre, Earlham St, London WC2H 9HU (near Tube is Covent Garden)💰 From £20.00 – No fees⏰ RUNNING TIME 2 hours, 35 minutes (including 20 min interval)ℹ️ AGE RECOMMENDATION 6+.It is such a fantastic show. This cast is amazing! We were so impressed! We can definitely recommend you to go and watch it too! Check @londontheatre for fabulous deals for this show and many others. .Have you seen Matilda?.#MatildatheMusical #londontheatre #theatrelife #westend #musicaltheatre #theatrekid #whatsonstage #8yearsold #thingstodoinlondon #londonwithkids #whatsonlondon #timeoutlondon #letsdolondon #musicaltheatrelife #theatreforkids
✨Twist Museum✨.Nick took Sienna to @twist_mu ✨Twist Museum✨.Nick took Sienna to @twist_museum during the holidays and they had such a fun time!.Twist is an immersive, interactive museum. The exhibits are illusions that challenge your senses. You will learn about how you experience colour, perspective, shape, sound, heat and more. It is a surreal experience. .See below some details:📍 248 Oxford St, Oxford Circus, London, W1C 1DH🎟️ Adult ticket £23.50 | Aged 17 and under £18.50 | £74 Family ticket (up to 2 adults and 2 children | Children 3 and under go free🕰️ Monday to Thursday 11.00am - 8.00pm | Friday & Saturday 11.00am - 9.00pm (last entry 8.00pm) | Sunday 10.00am - 7.30pm.They enjoyed the experience so definitely recommend to visit if you are in Central London and want to try something different.Do you like inmersive activities?.#twistmuseum #londonmuseum #artmuseums #artgallerylondon #funactivities #artinstallation #mysecretlondon #londonist #museumofillusions #immersiveexperiences #immersiveart #thingstodoinlondon #artandtechnology #artandculture #illusionart
Ad PR Invite✨Bubble Waffle✨.We visited @hans Ad PR Invite✨Bubble Waffle✨.We visited @hansandgretel.uk store inside @hamleys on the 1st floor @westfieldlondon for the best dessert experience ever! 😀.All their desserts look amazing! Very pretty and of course instagramable! 😉 They have yummy ice creams, sweets, waffles, chimney cakes, etc 🍭🍦🍬.We tried their bubble waffle with ice cream which was out of this world! 😋 Watch the video until the end to see it! .If you have a sweet tooth like us, then this is the place for you! 🙌🏻.Have you tried bubble waffles before?.PS: Happy New Year! Hope we all have a wonderful 2023! 🎉 #hansandgretel #bubblewaffle #bubblewaffles #desserttime #dessertlover #dessertgram #dessertoftheday #dessertlondon #londonfoodie #londonfood #londoneats #eatlondon #dessertsofinstagram #icecreamlover #thingstodoinlondon
Load More… Follow on Instagram
Copyright © 2023 · A Moment With Franca · Privacy Policy

We are using cookies to give you the best experience on our website.

You can find out more about which cookies we are using or switch them off in settings.

A Moment With Franca
Powered by  GDPR Cookie Compliance
Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.

Strictly Necessary Cookies

Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings.

If you disable this cookie, we will not be able to save your preferences. This means that every time you visit this website you will need to enable or disable cookies again.