Boredom Busters for INFP Children

Right now in our country (and around the world) people are filled with uncertainty and worry. Unfortunately, this can rub off onto our children! INFP children are especially sensitive to disharmony and internal distress. How can we keep them calm and occupied during this unsettled time? That’s what I want to explore with you today!

For newbies to type, let’s start by explaining what INFP means!

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What does INFP Mean?

I stands for Introversion. INFPs get their energy by looking inside and reflecting and creating ideas. The inner world is more energizing to them than the outside world.

N stands for iNtuition. INFPs notice the abstract and potential more than the concrete reality of what is happening right now.

F stands for Feeling. INFPs are guided by their deeply-held values and nuanced emotions. They make decisions based on their ethics, values, and personal moral code.

P stands for Perceiving. INFPs thrive when they can have a relatively flexible life. They like to keep their options open rather than having a rigid structure.

What to Watch Out For:

If your INFP child starts becoming more harsh, cynical, and sarcastic, chances are they are experiencing severe stress. As INFPs become severely stressed, they become more harsh, critical, and out of touch with their internal world. They will feel confused and out of touch with themselves. To help them through this period, try to create some comforting rituals to put them at ease. Let them take a hot bath while listening to an audiobook. Give them some hot tea and a cozy blanket to curl up with. Give them a sense that there is some consistency and reliability in life. And be sure to actively listen as they talk to you about their worries. Don’t rush them or belittle their fears and concerns.

How to Destroy Boredom for the INFP Child:

Foster your INFP child’s imagination and empathy during this time. Provide them journals and colorful pens. Give them blank cassette tapes and let them create mixtapes for their different moods. Get an Amazon FreeTime subscription and let them read to their heart’s content. Read aloud to them while sharing a cup of tea and some home-baked cookies! Give them a bunch of scraps, old magazines, and other odds and ends and challenge them to create a piece of art from it! Have them create a future self portrait. Let them look up their favorite quotes online and illustrate them with pictures, cut-outs from magazines, or colorful crayons.

Books for Young INFPs to Read:

INFPs are drawn to stories that spark their imagination and give them an escape to the mundane or anxious periods of day-to-day life. They are also drawn to characters who stand up for their values or fight against evil. The selections I’ve chosen here are all books that INFPs have recommended to me as their childhood favorites. I hope your child will enjoy them!

Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery, A Wrinkle in Time by Madeline L’Engle, The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis, Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling, Fablehaven Series by Brandon Mull. For younger kids, When You Need Wings by Lita Judge, Oh, the Places You’ll Go by Dr. Seuss, Can One Balloon Make an Elephant Fly? by Dan Richards, The Magical Life of Mr. Renny by Leo Timmers.

Movies to Watch:

INFP children love movies that introduce them to character in-depth. They are often drawn to misfits and underdogs who fight for what they believe is right. INFPs also appreciate movies that get them in touch with their emotional world, so a film like Inside Out is an excellent choice for them!

Matilda, My Neighbour Totoro, Harry Potter, The Chronicles of Narnia, Howl’s Moving Castle, The Secret of Kells, Inside Out.

Other Ideas:

• Create art
• Illustrate poems
• Make mud pies outside
• Spend time with pets
• Stargaze
• Write a letter to an author you admire
• Make crafts
• Listen to audiobooks
• Write a short story
• Draw a comic strip
• Learn a new skill on YouTube
• Listen to music and draw the images that come to your mind
• Play pretend
• Watch astronauts read stories from outer space.

What Are Your Thoughts?

Did you enjoy this article? Do you have any other suggestions for young INFPs? Let us know in the comments!

Find out more about your personality type in our eBooks, Discovering You: Unlocking the Power of Personality Type,  The INFJ – Understanding the Mystic, and The INFP – Understanding the Dreamer. You can also connect with me via Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter!

Other Articles You Might Enjoy:

A Look Inside the INFP Mind

7 Ways That INFPs Make an Impact

7 Things That INFPs Experience in Childhood