Unplugging Kids this Summer
School is out and your children are home. Some children will spend time at summer camps or in summer school, and other children will have extended periods of unstructured activity.
Whether you are a stay-at-home parent, a work-from-home parent, or a work-outside-the-home parent, you may struggle with how to limit child(ren)’s screen time. Screens offer kids so many options from boredom. And for parents, that screen time may be the only time available to manage home and work responsibilities which do not stop during the summer! So, relaxing screen time rules is an easy option.
However, The Mayo Clinic is quick to point out the negatives of excess screen time: obesity, irregular sleep, behavior problems, reduced academic performance, and taking time away from creative play. Identifying some strategies to reduce screen time will pay off!
Here are some practical tips for limiting screen time for your elementary and middle school aged children:
● Set a time limit and stick to it. It may be 1 hour on a school day and 2 hours on a non-school day.
Empower your children to manage their time to decrease push back.
Figure out what works best for them. A digital clock under the television that hosts the gaming system or a timer (microwave timer, egg timer, timer function on Alexa)
● Lead by example. Put your screen down.
Make mealtimes screen-free for all.
● Team up with friends. You know the expression, “It takes a village to raise a child.” Use your village!
Take turns supervising the kids at the pool, playground, or going on an adventure.
● Schedule play dates. Adding an outside child to the mix often results in:
Forgotten board games being played
Craft kits being opened
Games of HORSE in the driveway
● Make non-screen time activities readily available.
Clear cars from the driveway
Put bikes and outdoor activities where they can be reached easily
Have craft kits and cards accessible
Make a weekly trip to the library for new books to read
● Research low (no) cost adventures near you.
Local parks
Hiking trails
Splash parks at your local town center
Picnics at a favorite spot
If you are looking for more ways to engage in non-screen dependent activities, you can check out Today’s Parent which lists 51 ways to get off the screens.