"Go away and find something to do!"

If you live in the Play with Purpose house (and you are not my wife), these are words you hear quite often. 

Because you are a child. 

And in that moment you have decided to interrupt me in order to lament the lack of fun in your life. 

This is not an argument I have much time for. I'm too busy writing articles for my subscribers telling them how to achieve the same state of bliss in their own homes. 

But it's easier said than done, right? 

So what's the secret? 

This is the topic of investigation in the Play with Purpose community (COMING SOON!). But the short version is: 

1. Make sure your child knows where all the fun stuff is and that it's within easy reach. Organised is good but not essential. Our craft trolley and play resources are often in a terrible mess but it's a mess of useful things: string, scissors, paper, paint, blocks, Blu-tack, doilies and dice. 

2. Help your child develop the right mindset for independent play. If she is in the habit of reaching for a screen when boredom sets in, it's time for a reset. Resilience, self-regulation and knowing how to make your own fun are the keys to adventure.

Following the sale of 100 Toys, The Play Tools and Screen-Free Saturdays are my new projects. Learn more by signing up below for my new email mini-series, Breaking the Screen-Time Habit.