I know one of the biggest challenges I have with my kids over summer is ensuring they are not spending all of their time on screens. It can be so easy for kids to while away the hours watching a movie, looking at YouTube shorts, and playing video games, especially if parents are working. Instead of having screens so readily available, I suggest making a checklist of items (download for free) that kids have to do to earn time on electronics. Not only does this eliminate the endless hours staring at the screens, but they also have to be active, healthier, and contribute to helping around the house.
Morning Routine
Every morning, the kids should start their day like they would for school. This keeps them into the same routine throughout the summer so when it is time to go back to school, they aren’t thrown off by all of the things that need to be done in the morning to get ready. It also ensures they are brushing their teeth, taking vitamins, bathing, and all of the other items needed to stay hygienic.
Chores
Each day, the kids should have at least one chore to complete that will contribute to the maintenance of the household. Whether it be a load of laundry, emptying the dishwasher, making their bed, cleaning their room, or dusting, they should not be able to be on electronics until this is completed.
If your kids do not currently have responsibilities around the house, I encourage you to check out my book. It talks about manageable ways to get all members of the house to contribute through communication and understanding behaviors.
Learning Activities
Over summer, it is easy to want to skip anything that makes your mind think, but it is very important for our kids to continue to grow their minds, especially over summer so they can keep their mind strong. Some activities I encourage are reading at least 30 minutes a day, listening to an educational podcast, doing a science activity, working on a puzzle, playing mind games (sudoku, crosswords, etc.), or practicing their instrument if they play one.
Physical Activity
There are so many things our kids can be doing to replace screen time that also have a health benefit. Physical activity is so important, so kids should participate in moving physically for a minimum of 30 minutes. We highly encourage our kids to be outside for most of the day. Some activities can include bike riding, swimming, jumping on the trampoline, wiffle ball, basketball, walking around the house, and doing an obstacle course. Obviously these activities depend on the age of your child and the location of your home, but going to a park to play would also be an excellent physical activity, which also encourages social interaction.
Social Interaction
We want our kids to talk to people other than through FaceTime or online gaming. We encourage them to have friends over to the house throughout the summer or play with their siblings. Board games encourage socialization, as well as coloring together or playing catch. There are a lot of social benefits that go along with the physical activities mentioned above. There are also a lot of social benefits to doing creative activities in the next section.
Creative Activities
We often forget that there are benefits to activities that involve art. Coloring is very relaxing and a good way to give the brain a rest. We also encourage Lego building or crafting. Also, as much as I hate slime, making it is a lot of fun for the kids and offers the ability to mix colors and textures. Might I suggest this as an outdoor activity to save your furniture and sanity?
Food Choices
Finally, before kids can have screen time, they need to be sure they eat both breakfast and lunch. Not only do they need to eat these meals, but they need to make good choices. Drinking lots of water, making oatmeal, opting for a granola bar instead of a candy bar, or choosing a salad over microwaved pizza gives them the opportunity to be independent but also learn how to make better choices for their health.
Each day, the kids should be required to select at least one item from each section before they get screen time. You can divide the screen time by giving 10 minutes after each 30 minute activity or you can hold off all day and reward them with screen time after they’ve completed all of the sections. It may be difficult to get them to give up the screens after 10 minutes because they more than likely will want to get into a game or movie, and 10 minutes won’t be sufficient enough for them; however, if you children are smaller, that may be a great way to teach them to limit screen time by offering it to them in smaller chunks of time.
As always, thanks for reading. I hope you were able to find some helpful tips. Don’t forget to grab your free download of the checklist. If you’re looking for a community to discuss parenting and managing a busy life, we would love for you to join our Facebook Membership. You can also sign up for our newsletter so you never miss a blog.
