Raising ‘Screen-Free Children’ (simple swaps)
Of course, it’s almost impossible these days for children to go totally screen-free (even schools make them use computers). But if you watch on aghast as your child remains welded to his or her phone, laptop or TV screen, here are a few alternative ideas.
In the garden, use no-dig gardening to protect wildlife. Learn more on pet-friendly gardens (avoid facing indoor plants to gardens, to stop birds flying into windows).
Go for a Nature Walk
Of course, this is the obvious choice, if the weather is fine. You could even make it extra-fun, and encourage your child to complete a nature journal, fostering creativity as well as knowledge of the natural world.
Richard Louv is an American writer, who has happily taken it upon himself to be the tsar of ‘children getting outside in nature’. He prescribes ‘Vitamin N‘ as the dose needed by most youngsters.
When he was young, he said that ‘nature was my Ritalin’. On interviewing doctors, he says that most now have far less incidences of broken bones (children not falling out of trees – not good either). But many cases of children with depression or repetitive strain injury (from playing computer games).
Richard writes that the saddest day of his professional life, was when he asked a boy where his favourite place was. The boy replied ‘Inside, because that’s where all the sockets are’.
Encourage a Love of Books!
Most of us that love the English language and have good imagination, are like that because we were raised with a love of books and reading. Join the local library and stock up on good books, so they become absorbed in a good yarn, to while away the hours, if bored.
Learning to read well is also a skill that will foster them for later life. And they will become adults, that won’t be afraid to switch the ‘off’ button’, if there’s nothing on TV!
Be a bit adventurous. Seek out your child’s interests, then find books that are good, not just ones promoted by the major book chains.
- Living Paintings offers touch-to-see books for children & adults. Everything is dispatched for free through RNIB’s Articles for the Blind program.
- Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library mails free books addressed to children, and has so far delivered 6 million books to children in the UK at no cost. The selected children receive a free book each month, until they are 5 years old.
If you only read the books everyone else is reading, you’ll only think like everyone else is thinking. Haruki Murakami
Swap Video Calls for Face-to-Face Visits
Whenever possible, choose real-life visits with friends and relatives over video chats. In-person interaction brings warmth, fosters emotional bonds, and helps children learn social cues.
If a visit isn’t possible, try sending voice notes or handwritten letters instead. Personal touches make relationships stronger.
Replace Cartoons with Puppet Shows
Puppets, whether homemade or store-bought, can bring endless stories to life. Children love making up characters, setting up scenes, and putting on shows for their family.
Change E-Books for Library Visits
A trip to the local library opens up a treasure trove of stories, facts, and friendly faces. Libraries often run storytelling sessions, craft times, and reading challenges, drawing children into a screen-free world of discovery.
Picking out physical books and joining events helps build a lifelong love of reading.
Substitute TV Time with Outdoor Play
Instead of another episode, grab a ball and head outdoors. Walks, skipping, cycling, or a picnic in the park all encourage movement and exploration.
Outdoor play helps children stay active, improves mood, and builds a healthy relationship with nature.
Trade Learning Apps for Cooking Together
Cooking is packed with opportunities for learning, from measuring ingredients to counting spoonfuls. Invite children to help chop, mix, and taste.
They pick up practical maths and science skills, learn about healthy food choices, and gain confidence in the kitchen, all without a screen in sight.
Before cooking, read up on food safety for children and pets.
