While technology has become a part of our lives, nevertheless it doesn’t have to be this way for children, in terms of how much time they spend on devices.
It’s not too late to show our children that there are plenty of other ways to have fun other than being cooped up inside the house with a gadget.
In terms of how much screen time is too much? Well, you’re the expert on your child – you’ll probably already know how much screen time is too much for them.
A recent study by Children 1st into screen time and children’s health concluded that it’s really up to parents to decide on their children’s use of devices like mobiles and tablets, taking their age and maturity into account and that screens should be avoided in the hour before bedtime.
Some of the most delicate creative and effective ways to keep your child off gadgets:
Set a good example
Children, especially young ones, tend to copy what their parents or guardians do. If you’re always on your phone, that’s probably what sparked their curiosity in the first place.
Set an example to them and embody what you teach – take some time off your phone, laptop, tablet or television each day and find alternative ways to have fun.
Use this time to play with your children out in your backyard or take them to the park. If your children can see that you can have fun without gadgets, they’ll believe they can, too.
Note: If you must use a gadget, don’t let the kids see. Do what you have to do then go back to your gadget-free time.
Don’t make the gadgets accessible
One reason why kids spend so much time watching TV or playing video games is that they’re readily available. Keep your phones and tablets in a place that’s not accessible to your child and impose limits on the TV, computer, or game consoles.
You can give them 1 hour of TV a day, or they can only play video games during the weekends.
Change up their routine
The goal is to make your child understand that their free time isn’t synonymous with screen time. Introduce new fun activities that could turn into hobbies like painting, playing a sport, or reading books. For younger kids, regular play dates will greatly help.
Bring your child outdoors
It could be as simple as playing with other children at the park or planning a family camping trip. The outdoors is full of fascinating things that are good for sensory play, and it will encourage the child to learn and explore things that he doesn’t normally see around the house.
Keep things fun for your child
This may sound overwhelming, but it’s quite simple because it doesn’t take much for kids to be happy. If you feel that he’s bored with an activity that was previously their favourite, it means that you need to introduce new ones. It’s also ideal to involve yourself in these activities as much as you can.
Kids want nothing more than to play with you, and if they often do, they’d choose that over a gadget at any time.
Challenge activity for deep thinking
Nalina Ramalakshmi, Founder of the ParentCircle suggests an occasional challenge to exercise the brain to keep it healthy, growing, and sharp. Choose challenges that are at her level to keep her interested and feel successful.
If it is too easy, she will be bored, if it is too difficult, she will not want to try. Here are a few thinking activities:
- Jigsaw puzzles
- Rubik’s cube
- Brain games and puzzles
- Word games
- Crossword puzzles
- Math and logic puzzles
- Sudoku
Final Thoughts
You may be thinking how does it help? Well, any of these brain exercises help boost your child’s critical thinking, logical, and reasoning skills, all essential in getting your child ready for a future that demands creative thinkers and problem solvers.
To sum up, by following these effective ways to keep your child off gadgets they will surely be gadget-free in no time!
