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Interested in how to keep kids away from screens? Don’t forget to get your free list of 100 great activities to do with your children!
Although this post is about how to keep kids away from screens, I want to lead off by saying: I AM NOT ANTI-TECHNOLOGY! Honestly, I love technology. I think it’s an amazing tool! It helps us be more efficient, gives us greater opportunity for communication and collaboration, and, of course, it’s fun! We love watching movies at our house!
However, I also don’t really like the idea of using technology as a substitute for creative and imaginative play. Can it be used as a tool to assist in creativity? Absolutely, when used right! But that’s a whole other post for another day… This is about how to keep kids away from screens and getting them up and about!
Today’s parents face a greater challenge than previous generations when it comes to competing with technology. If you don’t want your kids spending most of their time in front of the screen, having fun alternatives is a must. Below you will find a few ideas on how to get your kids off the screens!
Keep Kids Away From Screens - The Benefits
Why should we even care about how much our kids are looking at screens? I mean, if it’s educational and monitored, what’s the problem? Without even going into what the studies say, simply look at how kids act when technology enters the scene. Even sweet and playful kids turn into little monsters when it’s time to put the screen up. It is suddenly the only thing that exists and all that matters. Everything revolves around whether they will get to play again…
But more than that, even educational games and videos do not replace exploration. Kids are natural little scientists! They learn best by touching, experimenting, watching, asking, messing up, getting dirty, falling down, making mistakes, etc. Technology is a wonderful tool and there are some really awesome resources out there… but it CANNOT replace real, honest-to-goodness, mud pie-eating and knee-scraping play.
Playing “the old-fashion” way with games, toys, and the great outdoors encourages creativity, mental and physical health, imagination, and better social skills. When kids don’t have the screen doing all of the imagining for them, kids will create entire worlds in their play!
When I was a kid, we loved to play dress up and we pretended we were Narnian queens. We also loved to climb trees and create our own games. Parents often think that they are depriving their kids if they limit their screen time, but really, you’re opening up a whole world of fun!
Keep Kids Away From Screens - Outdoor Activity Ideas
Family Bike Rides
If you enjoy the fresh air and would like to combine exercise and being close to nature, you can get your kids to fall in love with bikes from an early age. You can get a bike rack on your car and get away for the weekend to explore a park or even a beach. You will have loads of fun, and - chances are - your kids will not even think about Daniel Tiger or Fortnite the entire time!
Team Sports
It might also be a good idea to get your kids interested in team sports. Instead of playing on FIFA2019, they can put their real-life skills to a test. Playing team sports will help your kids with their social skills and teach them the discipline that will help them for the rest of their lives. They will make real friends they can have a live conversation with, and feel a sense of belonging.
So much can be learned from team sports. Your child must learn how to win and lose gracefully and handle disappointment. Sports help a child learn that we must try hard and be disciplined enough to train our skills.
Playing a sport can teach them perseverance and how to encourage others who are struggling. The camaraderie that is built in a team has long-term affects for your child’s mental health.
Camping
I am not PERSONALLY a camper… But if it’s something you enjoy and you would like to improve your kids’ practical skills and encourage them to be more active, you can arrange camping weekends for the family.
You can get close to nature, engage in meaningful conversations, and try new things.
Walking Expeditions
It is important that you give your kids a chance to get to love nature and become real explorers from an early age. Let them take a little camera like this VTech Kidizoom! Theron loves taking pictures of flowers with his camera!
Swimming Days
In the summer, it’s a great idea to get a swimming pass for your local pool! Getting a pass will allow you to go as often as you can!
You can even start early and get your kids to take swim classes while they are young, so they will enjoy the pool and slides even more without fear and anxiety.
Keep Your Kids Away from Screens - Indoor Activity Ideas
There are also a million ways to have fun inside! We love to give our kids toys that foster their creativity like legos, play-doh, cardboard boxes (yes, it’s a toy in our house), crayons and paper, and anything that allows them to build or create something of their own.
Let them be “Mad Scientists”
Do some experiments together! If you have a baby or toddler, allowing them to have some sensory play with water or even a tub of sand is a great way to keep them entertained and learning.
Preschool kids are ready to make things. Challenge them to build a house that can’t be blown down! Or a boat that can carry their favorite toy across the bathtub.
Boredom is Okay sometimes!
Having screen free time does not have to be a lot of work. Just give your kids opportunities to create their own fun! Let them be bored every once in a while too. Children do not need to be entertained every second of the day!
Most kids when given the opportunity to be bored get really good at entertaining themselves. I’m that cheap mom that gives her kids a cardboard box to play with. Sounds lazy but the kid played in/with that box for HOURS… and he was contained in a box so it was a win for both of us, really.
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I’m taking my 14 year old son to the dog park tomorrow to get him away from his computer games. He doesn’t think anything else in life is fun anymore if it’s not on a screen, but he’s never seen dogs chasing each other! 🙂
I know! My students always act as if it’s not on the computer then it’s not cool. But then you do something different and it blows their minds!
Great post!! I love all the tips and advice to encourage parents to guide their children to learn about other things that are not part of electronics!
Keeping our kids active and managing their screen time is so important! Thanks for all the ideas.
it’s a struggle but one well worth fighting. technology has its purpose but so much more is learned from actually living
These are all great tips. It gets much harder as they get older. I have hidden my teenagers’ phones. LOL!
That is so true that while technology is very helpful nothing can replace old-fashioned games. And your ideas to keep kids busy are wonderful. Will save it for my future kids. 🙂
Such good info, this is so important for kids creativity and growth!
Woohoo for limited screen time. I really think that being encouraged to use your imagination and experience new things is important.
I think finding the balance is so important. And I love that so many of your ideas required that the parents be involved (and off their screens as well!)
Screen time is a big issue for all ages! Parents need to take the lead to get their munchkins interested in other things. Good for you!
Love this! I am a big proponent of limiting screen time and getting the kids playing and using their imaginations! We were at an event recently where all the small children had phones/ipads in their little hands watching videos, etc. (even the toddler!). It was weird!
I see this a lot! It is so weird to me… I just think, why did you come, then? You could all play on your tablets at home. You’re at a special event!
This is awesome! I am glad to see parents are starting to realize the benefits of teaching their kids to play independently!
Great tips! It’s so important to foster creativity and encourage play. It’s how kids learn best. As adults we can set good examples by watching our screen time as well! I love your emphasis on doing things together as a family.
World at their fingertips on a screen - but determined for them to SEE it all in real life. Great ideas!
My kids are on screens way too much. I struggle with letting them learn the technology (since they will need it for the future) with forcing them to use their imagination!
I totally get that! I love using technology for work, and I think it’s absolutely necessary for kids to be knowledgeable, but at the same time finding a balance can be so hard! I love to do coding activities with my son. I try to make the time that he is on a tablet or computer to be creative and not just watching/playing games. I’m sure there’s no right and perfect answer, unfortunately!
Love your ideas here! Kids can’t develop properly without running and playing and exploring. ♥
Great article!! I’m not anti technology either but I do try to keep my toddler away from screens when necessary! I totally agree with you that kids are natural scientists. Every morning we play with legos and books and her pretend kitchen. Then after her nap we go for a walk on the sand and boardwalk. After a while, she didn’t even miss her tv shows!
Yes!! I think people think they need to put in a lot of effort to do screen-free learning and really just walking outside and looking at flowers or finding different bugs is SCIENCE for a preschooler! Every morning on our way to our car, my son stops at my neighbor’s flowers and checks on them. At first they were closed and I showed him one that had opened up and said, “soon they will open.” Then every day… “Are they open?” When they finally opened he was SOO excited.
I love this post! As a blogger I love technology, and I love that my granddaughter can watch factory videos and the Magic School Bus through technology, but I way more love her imagination when the screens are off. She loves playing with a cardboard box and some markers, or making little towns and stores. She inspires me to get creative and think. Sometimes it is exhausting, but it is always worth it.
I love this post! It filled with so many amazing ideas!!!
We worked desperately to keep the boys off screens when they were young. It’s harder when they are teens - and it’s not for a lack of trying. I do try to plan more activities now that we live in an area where it’s gorgeous more times than not. That Vitamin D is soooo good to absorb and that fresh air is vital.
Such great ideas am sharing with my daughter who has two of her own now. Thank you for sharing! 🤗
Love the ideas! We try to keep the kids busy in the summer so they aren’t staring at their tablets all day. We also make sure to get tons of outdoor toys to encourage them to just go outside for a while. Haha
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