10 Ways How To Reduce Screen time Of Your Child
This century is leading us in a tech-friendly world for adults and more importantly the gen-z kids who know all their ways to use mobile phones. Earlier fooling kids was a flex but now with dynamically advancing technology, parents cannot get ahold of them.
The COVID-19 era changed everything. From going to school every day to attending classes while laying on their bed, children have now easy access to their parents’ phones as compared to earlier times.
This easy access leads to preschool kids watching obnoxious visuals and learning things that they shouldn’t know at such a young age. Most parents seem annoyed and distressed about how can they make kids reduce screen time and encourage them for outdoor activities. In order to do that, parents must read these 10 ways to reduce screen time.
1. Set a Standard
Preschool kids usually learn what they see in their surroundings, especially their families. To realise that it is not good for them, it should not also be good for the parents to use mobile phones frequently in their presence. Therefore, setting an example will help motivate kids to play outside and reduce screen time.
2. Take Kids to explore the surroundings
Instead of being a lazy parent, one must be the active one to keep their kids involved. Interaction with surroundings is a major part of this process. Parents can take their children to parks, let them make friends in the neighbourhood, play with puppies etc.
3. Create a Bucket List of Outdoor games
Outdoor activities are an essential part of the skilful development of a child. Sports experiences help build positive self-esteem in children. Motivating kids to play outside can be a helpful way of reducing stress and increasing feelings of physical and mental well-being, as well as fighting against juvenile delinquency, conflict and aggressive outbursts. Making a list of their child’s favourite outdoor game for a week will help to reduce screen time and they will enjoy outdoor activities rather than indoor ones.
4. Set a Schedule
To motivate kids to play outside, parents should set a proper schedule/timetable for them to reduce screen time. Starting from waking up children must feel active in the first half of the day. To avoid mobile phones, make a timetable that has all the information about activities to be performed throughout the day. A little time for using mobile phones (1 hour per day according to studies) at one point of their favourite tv series would be enough.
5. Put conditions on Tech-time
Negotiating terms & conditions to help the children in regular public dealings.
6. Encourage them to choose Sports
Sports help children in building self-confidence, self-esteem, discipline social skills, patience, teamwork, perseverance and accepting defeat with a positive approach.
7. Sigh them up for extra-curricular activities like dance, Music, art & crafts etc.
8. Try alternative healthy activities to enhance preschool kids learning and creativity:
- Help in the kitchen
- Reading & Cursive Writing
- Art & Crafts
- Building Blocks/ Robotime
- Solving Puzzles & Riddles
- Prepare Mystery/ Treasure Hunts in the house
9. Volunteering in household chores like cleaning, watering plants etc.
10. Creating a Phone-Free zone at home to reduce screen time.