Entertaining Your Children Without Screens
The final installment of our social media-focused blog series following National Social Media Day on June 30th will be focused on activities you can do with your children that don’t involve screen time.
In our first blog of this series, we shared the new advisory on social media and youth mental health, released by the US General Surgeon earlier this year. This advisory contains information on the positive and negative impacts social media has on youth mental health, the scientific evidence behind those impacts, critical unanswered questions and a recommendation for future action. If you’d like to learn more, click here.
Last week, we looked at how social media usage can impact brain development at different stages of adolescents. More and more research is being released that shows frequent use of social media could be reshaping how adolescents’ brain develop. If you’d like to learn more, click here.
This week, we will be focusing on activities parents can conduct with their children that do not involve screen time. The purpose of this blog is not to shame those who allow their young children to have unlimited or heavy access to screens. Every parent can make their own decision when it comes to exposing their child to screens.
Limiting your child’s screen time:
At Home
If you’re looking to limit your child’s screen time at home, there are plenty of methods you can test. You can try no screen meals. This means if your family is gathered together eating breakfast, lunch or dinner, there can be no screens involved. This is another great time to try conversation cards if your kids prefer to be on screens during dinner.
Another great way to limit screen time is to have “screen free rooms.” Make their bedrooms a sanctuary for sleep and play, not screens. Move TVs, computers and tablets into shared family spaces. You can also try setting firm limits for screen time. For example, no TV after dinner or any electronic devices an hour before bedtime. Reward your children for physical activity, reading and spending quality time together.
One of the most important things you can do while trying to limit your child’s screen time is to be a good role model. Make sure you’re practicing what you preach and not spending a lot of time on your phone or computer after work hours. Your children learn best by example, so you have an opportunity to show them how important it is to be active or spend quality time together.
Out of Home
Going out in public to a restaurant for example gives parents an opportunity to provide their children activities that don’t involve screens. When you’re going out with toddlers and small children, instead of packing an iPad or handing them your phone, make it a point to bring aper or coloring sheets that the child is really interested. If your child loves dinosaurs, bring a dinosaur-themed coloring book and lots of crayons or colored pencils. If your child is past the age of loving coloring books, any kind of activity book will work.
If you have an older child, you could also try conversation cards. Conversation cards are a great way to spark interesting topics with your child. There are plenty of other benefits to an activity like this one, such as promoting language development and building critical thinking skills.
When you know you’re going out in public for a prolonged period of time and there may not be a ton of organic entertainment for your child, try packing a “survival kit.” These kits can include toys, coloring books, picture books, cards or anything your child is into at that time. You could try printing off a visual to hang on the fridge: the five essential items in any bag before you leave the house with kids.
All this to say, we are not shaming parents who give screens to their children when they’re running errands or eating at a restaurant. Parents are exhausted, we get it. When your child is fussy and you only have your phone, it’s your only option. These are just tips and suggestions for parents who are looking to limit their children’s screentime.
If you need support limiting your screentime or your child’s, please reach out to us. Our team of therapists is here to provide support and guidance. We look forward to connecting with you.
