How much time do you and your kids spend looking at screens all day?
When you add it all up and include work, schoolwork, homework, and leisure, it’s probably more hours than you think – and more hours than you’re really comfortable with.
So what can be done?
The answer is that as a parent, you’re in control – to some extent, at least – how much screentime your kids have, and if you want them to have less, you’ll need to have some great alternatives up your sleeve to entice the children not just to do something different, but to be happy about it.
With that in mind, here are some things you can do with the kids that don’t involve screens – read on to find out more.
Outdoor Adventures
One of the best ways to really disconnect from technology and stay away from screens is to go outside and have some great outdoor adventures.
This is such an easy thing to do, and it doesn’t matter where you live because even if you’re in the middle of the city, there’s still plenty to see and do when you’re outside – plus, there could be a wonderful park nearby that could be the perfect place to go.
Take the children for a walk or perhaps a hike if you’re feeling more energetic, go for a bike ride, have a picnic at the park, and so on.
Spending time outside, surrounded by nature, not only gives everyone some good physical exercise, but it also helps encourage their curiosity and teaches them about things that wouldn’t have seen or known about otherwise.
Arts And Crafts
Children love to be creative, and it’s a good thing for adults as well, so arts and crafts can be an ideal thing for everyone to do together to ensure they can allow their imaginations to really be set free.
The wonderful thing about crafting is that there are just so many options, so there’s bound to be something your kids love to do.
You could all try origami, for example, or you could start knitting.
You could try journalling or scrapbooking, or perhaps just colouring.
You could make homemade greetings cards or get the paints out and go wild on big sheets of paper.
You can do whatever you – and the children – want to do, and it can be something that keeps them occupied for hours at a time, so it’s definitely worth exploring a few different options.
Board Games And Puzzles
Board games and puzzles might sound like quite an old-fashioned thing to do, but the truth is that these kinds of activities never go out of style, and there’s a reason for that – they’re fun.
Not only are they hugely enjoyable, but they’ll mean no one is looking at a screen, and you can really focus on what you’re doing, meaning that it’s good for your mindfulness as well.
Mindfulness means living in the present moment and not thinking about the past or the present, so you can stop stressing and worrying.
That’s great for adults, but don’t forget that children get stressed as well, so it’s well worth looking into.
As if that wasn’t enough, board games are a good way to help with critical thinking, problem-solving, and even being more social, which are all great skills for kids to learn at a young age so they can use them in later life and become successful.
The more games you play, the more skills they’ll learn (and it’s a great way to bond at the same time).
Cooking
Cooking can be a fun and useful way to get children away from their screens for a little while, and it’s also an educational way to bond with your kids, so there really isn’t a downside to this idea.
It can all start by involving them in choosing a great dish to cook (or perhaps dessert to bake), and then you can go shopping for the ingredients together.
After that, you can measure the ingredients, show them how to put things together, and cook up the night’s family dinner as a team.
Not only will the kids be off their screens, but they’ll also learn a lot about how to cook and choose healthy food, for example, which is going to help them in the future.
Science Experiments
If your kids love science and are fascinated by the world around them, what better way to make them happy and get them away from their screens than by setting up some science experiments?
Work out in advance what you want to teach them and make sure you have all the equipment you need (including safety equipment) and that you know precisely what to do, and then you can all have a lot of fun with science.
Some great ideas to get started with include making a baking soda volcano, creating a homemade lava lamp, or watching a plant grow from seed.
