Are you giving your child your phone or tablet to keep them engaged? Do you know that you are ruining your child’s learning ability by giving him/her hours of screen time? According to a research conducted by the Quebec Longitudinal Study of Child Development cohort, each one-hour increase in TV exposure at two years of age corresponds to a 7% unit decrease in participation in class and a 6% unit decrease in maths proficiency in the fourth grade. (1)
The global problem of excessive screen time is rising at an alarming rate, and as parents, we have to be extra careful to protect our children from screen time.
“But it keeps my child busy, and I get to do the household chores.” If this thought comes to your mind, we are here to help you. You know, a kid cannot tell the difference between a chore and a game! You can indulge your baby into something productive to keep them engaged for a long time.
We have made a list of all the creative activities that can engage your child while boosting their growth and development.
The Impact of Screen Time on Kids’ Development
The World Health Organization recommends no screen time for babies under 2 years of age and no more than one hour of screen time per day for kids between 2 to 4 years.
Multiple studies have been done to understand the impact of screen time on the development of kids. Excessive screen time not only affects the eyesight of your little one but it also causes higher anxiety, depression, lower psychological well-being, poor academic achievement, low self-esteem and poor language development.
Kids who indulge in watching TV and mobile also tend to be obese and physically unfit.
8 Engaging & Fun Screen-Free Activities For Kids
Limiting screen time for kids is very important. Whether your baby is already addicted to mobile phones or has just started watching TV, you can still change this habit and encourage your child to do engaging and productive activities.
If you are wondering how to reduce screen time for kids, here are some activities that kids can do instead of watching content:
Activity 1: Introduce Them To Musical Toys
Music can reach parts of our brain that language cannot. This is why, whenever you listen to music, you feel emotional.
This can be the best way of limiting screen time for kids. With toys like rattles or musical instruments for kids, you can keep your child engaged in offline activities for a long time. Not just this, but you can check out a wide range of fun and learn musical toys for kids at Shumee.
Activity 2: Storytelling with StoryBooks
You can make it a tradition to read a story to your child before bedtime. This would be a great way to bond with your child and spend some quality time together. You can get illustrated story books for kids so that your child can also view the pictures while listening to the stories. This activity promotes creativity and imagination in children. It is very beneficial for their mental growth.
According to Sir Ken Robinson (Education Expert), "Imagination is the source of every form of human achievement.”
So, let your child’s imagination fly with different storybooks.
Activity 3: Nature Scavenger Hunt
One of the biggest problems with our kids is that they rarely go outside to play! Kids are not able to connect with nature, and not going outside also impacts their physical development.
To solve this problem, you can plan an outdoor activity like a nature scavenger hunt once a week and take your kids to a park.
You can make up games like finding an object for each colour in the rainbow. This way, kids will also learn about different colours.
Similarly, you can ask them to bring 10 or 15 leaves, which will teach them to count.
These are some great fun activities for kids without screens.
Activity 4: Arts and Crafts Corner
If you are looking for some screen-free activities for toddlers, you can create an arts and crafts corner in your house to encourage your little ones to indulge in art. In this corner, you can add colouring books, colours, stickers, etc. for your child. You can have a dedicated time for the arts and crafts corner, which would make it exclusive, and your child would look forward to their time in the corner. Check out a range of art and craft activities for kids at Shumee.
Plus, having a specific corner would save the walls of your house from crayon scribbles.
Activity 5: Building with Wooden Blocks
Building blocks are great brain development toys, especially for toddlers. Balancing blocks like this Peppa Pig Wooden Blocks Balancing Game improves fine motor skills like picking and holding.
You can also get them wooden alphabet blocks to improve their English language skills.
Activity 6: Cooking and Baking Together
Kids do not understand the difference between chores and play; they enjoy helping their parents just like playing. Use this to spend some quality time with your child.
You can ask them to stand with you in the kitchen while you prepare their breakfast. Keep asking them which fruits you are using to teach them more fruit names.
Another fun game can be naming everything they see on the kitchen counter.
You can also get pretend play toys like cooking sets for your kids.
Activity 7: Outdoor Games
Encourage your kids to play outdoor games, as it helps with their physical development. If you do not have a park or kid’s gym around, you can get your kids their own play gym with this Wooden Rainbow Pikler Triangle.
This Pikler can be used both indoors and outdoors. It includes a slide, a climber, and so many more elements that make it the best play gym set for kids.
Activity 8: Indoor Game
You can also get a variety of interesting indoor games for your kids to play with when you cannot take them out.
Games like the Wooden Ninjaki Balance Toy Set help improve fine motor skills, along with skills like concentration, focus, and problem-solving.
You can also get your child a Wooden 5-In-1 Activity Triangle where kids can learn the alphabet, shapes, and numbers. This screen-free game for kids also has a chalkboard that promotes Independent play in kids.
You can also get your child Wooden Balance Board, so that your child can indulge in some physical activities inside the house itself. This Waldorf Curvy Rocker Balance Board is very beneficial in improving balance, full body coordination, and improving body posture in kids.
Real Stories: Parents Share How These Activities Helped Reduce Screen Time
Here is the first-hand experience of a working mom who used Shumee toys to reduce screen time for her child:
“Hi, I am Varsha, mom of a 4 year old girl. Initially, I used to play rhymes on the TV to keep my baby engaged while I completed my household chores or attended meetings. I worked from home, so I tried to engage with my little princess as much as possible. But as she grew up, she started to demand more screen time. She started to take my phone to watch YouTube videos. That’s when I started to get concerned because I did not want her to be addicted to screen time at such a young age.
I saw a video by Montessori expert Hindola addressing this issue, where I came to know about Shumee. I thought it was worth giving a shot, and I ordered the easel board. I started keeping the board in the kitchen with me. I told my daughter that I needed her help in the chores and that she had to keep drawing on her board while I worked.
The trick worked well, and my daughter loved her drawing board. Soon, we started buying colourful chalks for her to draw with.
Now, she spends hours playing with her Easel board. Her favourite activity is drawing. I also help her write numbers and alphabets and make shapes on the board. Recently, I also bought their kitchen cooking set for her to play with.
I still let her watch Peppa pig on TV, but mobile phones are strictly not allowed. She has not once thrown a tantrum to watch more TV either.”
Shumee is a Montessori-inspired kids’ toys and games brand that focuses on the learning and development of kids.
We have wooden toys for kids of all ages. All our toys are plastic-free and non-toxic, so you don’t have to worry about kids putting them in their mouths.
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