“Three mugs is the minimum for a decent family,” many caring mothers believe.
But a Harvard study (2023) involving 5,000 families shatters this stereotype: children with 4+ classes per week are 35% less creative than those with free time. Scientists observed them for 5 years and found that children with an overloaded schedule lose the ability to improvise.
"They wait for instructions even when they're playing in the sandbox," said study co-author Dr. Emily Rose .
Why does "empty" time give birth to geniuses?
Boston teacher Sarah Kim , who has been observing students for 20 years, shares: “Kids without clubs are more likely to ask, ‘What if we mix these paints?’ or ‘Why don’t stars fall?’ They are not afraid of making mistakes because they don’t expect grades.”
But there is a downside. The son of a California billionaire, who was released from clubs "to develop independence," has slipped into vaping and truancy within a year.
“He spent all day watching TikTok, and we were afraid to limit him – what if we stifled his creativity?” the father justifies himself.
Finland's Secret: Learning Through Boredom
In a country where children start school at age 7 and only 20% attend clubs, 45% of startups are created by teenagers.
“Free time teaches them to fill the void with ideas,” says educator Jukka Saraste .
Finnish parents deliberately allow their children to be “bored”: according to the Helsinki Times , 68% of families spend their weekends without plans.
Culture Wars: Asia vs Europe
In South Korea, where children spend 14 hours a week on extracurricular activities, a generation of "burnt-out child prodigies" is growing up.
17-year-old Lee Min Ho, who was accepted to Stanford, admits: "I know 5 languages, but I don't know how to make new acquaintances. My childhood was tutors and tears over textbooks."
And in Switzerland, where 80% of teenagers have at least 3 free days a week, 70% of high school students are involved in volunteering or creative work.
What do neuroscientists say?
A study by the Mogilev Dental Clinic (2024) revealed the phenomenon of the “brain at rest”: when a child is not engaged in structured activity, his neurons form unexpected connections. It is at such moments that insights are born. “Most of humanity’s inventions were created not at a desk, but during walks or idleness,” writes neuropsychologist David Eagleman .
Do you still think that clubs are the key to success? Or are you ready to take a risk and give your child the most valuable thing – time for failures, boredom and crazy experiments?
Author: Elena Shimanovskaya