14 Ways to reduce Kids Screen Time

Increased screen time is practically a problem faced by each parent because of their kids spending too much time with their phones, tablets and personal computers. Which is affecting their health, social life, ability to learn about real world and happiness. While it is extremely important for kids to learn and use the available gadgets and tools for learning & connecting, Balance is needed so that amount of time spent on these gadgets is limited.

Research demonstrates that both physical activity and screen time behaviors are established in childhood – this is why it is so important for parents help their children to develop healthy patterns early on in life. 

Following are few ways that parents can use to balance out gadget usage with other activities.

1) Lead by example. Kids learn by watching parents. Parents who model using their time engaged in activities such as chores, cooking, reading, being outdoors, travel and other interests typically have kids who do the same. 

2) Connect with kids. Acknowledge what is going on specifically in your home and make a family commitment - Have a positive conversation about theallure of screens, why our brains like them so much, and talk about time management. Be positive about how you will all work together to have healthy and balanced lifestyles.

3) Re-engage with your kids - read with them, make eye contact and talk with them, tell jokes, etc. Kids usually act out and are difficult with parents

When they want attention - this may mean looking at your own use of screen time before criticizing your kids for their behavior. 

4) Smarten-up digitally - Learn how to shut down your wireless in your home or limit a smart phone's data plan.

5) Monitor usage - Take the screens out of individual rooms and put them in common rooms in your home. Help kids understand how much time they are on a screen by setting a timer and building their own awareness - do the same for yourself! We all know what it's like to lose time when engaged in screen time. 

6) Plan Time away from devices - If you are "starting out" to decrease screen time, plan for "in and out" time with kids - go to the park, beach, game night, chores, have play dates scheduled and create rules for the planned time when screen time is allowed.

More outdoor time = more vitamin D, sunshine, and more activity

7) Have FUN without screens as a family - Set aside family playtime at least once a week inside the house - whether a board game after dinner or a game of hide and seek outside or divide in teams to play "make a mummy" with a roll of toilet paper in 5 minutes or less. 

8) Create a plan. While boredom is important developmentally, as it allows for creativity to emerge, children need some structure – they can’t possibly entertain themselves for 10 hours a day in the summer. It may be helpful to collaborate with your child to develop a list of possible projects or activities at the beginning of the week. Try to allow your child to choose what he or she would like to do each day. Remind your child of the plan for the day each morning, and be clear about when technology use fits-in with that plan. Find an activity that is enjoyable for your kid. If activity time feels like a "chore", they won't want to participate in it. Get other neighborhood kids or friends involved. When their friends are doing it too, it definitely eliminates that feeling of "being a chore".

9) Keep electronics out of the bedroom.Children who are tired often delay their attempts to fall asleep if their parents allow them to engage in screen-based activities in their bedrooms. In fact, research demonstrates that action-oriented games and television programs may actually stimulate wakefulness in children by awakening emotions such as fear and excitement, which result in increased heart rate and perspiration.

Screen-based activities occurring in your child’s bedroom send the message that the room is an entertainment-zone, as opposed to a sleep-zone. You maybe apt to reserve your child’s bedroom only for quiet activities, such as reading, writing, and most of all, sleeping.

10) If the kids are older, create a healthy competition. Set up running races, who can push-up the most, and various physical activities that they all could work towards. You can also make the competitions about them. I.e.Begin with some staple workouts (running, push-ups, pull-ups, etc.) and then set different rewards when they reach their own goals. *Rewards could be something like getting to go see a movie they pick on Friday night (within friendly ratings of course) or getting some new athletic shoes. Nothing too big, and not food if you can avoid it. *

11) Get them involved in Sports or an active hobby: many school's provide options or community centers for little to no cost. Sports are a great way to build a kid's motor, social, and group management skills. It's never to early to get involved in Yoga either.

12) Advocate for more time in school. Talk to the principal and school teacher about what plans they have for increasing activity levels and if they have none, volunteer to help them incorporate more. Try to do it in a non-threatening and more educational manner, showing how other schools havedone the same and the research supports that kiddos do better when they'remore physically active (and it hardly costs them a thing to implement!)

13) Use apps to your advantage. there are apps and games and gaming systems and add-ons that actually encourage kids to exercise by making it part of the game. if the controller is actually in the kid's hand or is absent altogether and requires motion to get a result, then the kid's exercising and doesn't feel like he or she is. Remember girls game too, about half of all gamers are female. There are also exercise and activity tracking apps, smart watches, wrist bands, all sorts of tech out there to get folks, adults and kids, to exercise more. Use everything to your advantage rather than saying no.

14) Most importantly, Remember to be balanced and flexible. This means balancing activity time with some screen time. Honor that some days your kid won't feel good, they will need a walk in the park vs competitive push-ups, or a day off from sports. Honor when your kid isn't feeling well(physically and emotionally) and make sure to take a vested interest in what's going on if it's an emotional/anxiety block. Try different things &be flexible - one size doesn't fit all for kids and exercise.

While it may be uncomfortable to have your child mope around the house and hard to cope with. Be uncomfortable, that is our job. It is uncomfortable, it isn't easy and is definitely hard work... and worst thing is that the pay off is usually along way off.

But the consequences on NOT saying no and  of not setting boundaries and not following through will be felt immediately with your kids lacking physical activities, social life and health

Sandra work in App Studio specialized in Mobile and web app development. We have recently been focusing on kids apps and have learnt quite a bit about the how kids are engaged with the devices and the amount of time kids spend with screens.