Screens are highly addictive for everyone. Even adults find it hard to put down their devices and focus on other activities. While there are countless benefits technology and devices offer us, it is also essential to focus on off-screen activities. This is especially important for children.
It is easier for them to whittle away hours on screen and neglecting other things. It can be hard to transition from being in front of the screen all day to minimizing the screen time and maximizing outdoor time. However, it is certainly not impossible. Here are a few tips that can help you achieve this goal:
1. Establishing Technology-Free Zones
The best way to reduce the screen time of your children is to create technology-free zones in your house. Assign a few areas in your house where no one, including adults, can use electronics, whether it is laptops, video games, or cell phones. Some great technology-free areas are the kitchen and dining room reserved for family conversations and meals.
2. Playing with Them
When parents join playtime, children get excited. They are more likely to discard their devices if you are willing to play some fun games with them. Teach them the old-school outdoor games, like hopscotch, tag, duck, duck goose, hide and seek, and more.
3. Making it a Privilege
Making screen time a privilege instead of a right is another effective way of minimizing it. You can use it as a form of disciple that could involve taking away their privilege (video game, laptop, or phone) for a certain period of time due to their bad behavior.
However, avoid letting them earn extra screen time for good behavior if you want to minimize the screen time. Stick to the limit assigned for screen time each day and offer them some other form of rewards.
4. Encouraging Screen-Free Activities
Since there is a wide range of content and apps out there to entertain your children, they get more dependent on electronics. Give them more options for fun outdoor or indoor activities that would encourage them to avoid relying on devices for entertainment.
Have a game night every weekend and play games like Jenga, Monopoly, Scrabble, Chess, or other fun games. Motivate them to play outside, read a book, take up music or dancing lessons, paint, write, or anything they enjoy doing.
5. Setting Times to Unplug
A great way to reduce screen time is to set mandatory time for everyone to unplug. This can be an hour before bedtime, dinner time, breakfast time, or you can even do a full-day cleanse monthly or bi-monthly. Focus this time on bonding with one another or doing screen-free activities.
Restricting the screen time and encouraging more outdoor time is essential for the overall wellbeing of your children. It might seem challenging initially, but it is a battle worth fighting. These tips will help you get started, and gradually, it will become a life-long habit for the entire family.
Make sure you follow the same rules to help them transition better. Of course, minimizing screen time is also beneficial for adults as well.
Mt. Elizabeth Academy focuses on activities that involve minimal screen time to encourage students to focus on other exciting activities that are good for their development. Our daycare offers after-school programs, vacation camp, pre-K, and other early learning activities for families in Acworth, Marietta, Kennesaw, and other areas. Get in touch with us today for more information.