Tonight with your 5 to 8 year old
The prompt
“What does being bored actually feel like inside, and what's the one thing that always fixes it?”
What to listen for
If they describe boredom as restless or itchy and fix it with movement or play, that's them showing healthy self-direction, they know how to give themselves what they need without waiting to be entertained.
If the fix always involves finding you or a sibling, that's a sign connection is what actually chases the feeling away for them, being bored might really mean wanting company, not activity.
If they say "I don't know," ask what the opposite of bored feels like instead, sometimes it's easier to describe by contrast.
What this tells you
How they escape boredom shows whether they currently self-soothe through activity or through closeness with people.