Screens have taken over and we use them for almost everything. They are in our living rooms, bedrooms, study rooms and find themselves in just about any place that we spend longer than 5 minutes sitting in. This has become a problem as children are becoming addicted to them. It is believed that the average child now spends around 4 and ½ hours a day behind a screen, compared to just 40 minutes outdoors. As many parents, you may be wondering what you can do to help. Below are 5 screen free activities that were shared with us by a private school. We hope that they serve you well and help you to pull them away from their pesky devices.
Learning An Instrument
There are many great benefits to learning an instrument. It takes their eyes off their screens and helps them to explore their talents. Those that play an instrument are also more likely to do well at school as it helps them with their concentration, memory, and time management.
Collecting
There are many collectors’ items out there. Children can collect and learn about anything from coins to stamps. It’s a great little activity because it can teach them about history and help them to practise their researching skills.
Gardening
If your garden needs a spruce up, why not get your children involved? You can teach them about taking care of plants and the plant life cycle. They will be able to appreciate the natural world on a much deeper level and care more about protecting it.
Get them started on a small gardening project, like observing seeds grow. No need to buy pricey small containers—old cardboard egg cartons or trays make the perfect seedling pots. Guide them on how to prep the trays, what seeds to grow, what soil best grows seedlings, and how to water them. Your kids can easily separate the sprouts when they’re ready to be repotted.
Crafting
Even if art isn’t their strong suit, there are many benefits to exploring it. For one, it provides an outlet for children to express themselves. For younger children, it gives them the opportunity to practise and strengthen their fine motor skills that are used to pincer, grip, and hold.
Reading
While educational, reading can be a lot of fun. It all depends on the book of choice. Take your child out to the library or bookstore for the day and give them a chance to pick their own.