Winter break is a great time to connect with family and friends, catch up on a book, and relax. Kids and adults alike may be tempted to sink into the couch and watch TikTok for an hour or two or three…
But as we all know, screen time isn’t the healthiest or most fulfilling way to spend your precious free time, no matter your age. So, we’ve rounded up some creative alternatives to doubling your average weekly screen time.
12 Alternatives to Screen Time
It’s too easy to turn to a screen when you’re bored, whether you’re an adult or a kid. Try these instead:
- Read. Reading activates brain function. Parents or guardians should read at least two books to their younger kids every day. Encourage older kids to read to themselves or to you. Visit your local library to explore new books or sit in on a storytime.
- Go outside. Plant new seeds in the garden, play in mud, draw with chalk, collect and paint rocks or do a photo scavenger hunt. Take a walk around the block to admire your neighbors’ holiday decorations.
- Get active. Take your kids outdoors to shoot hoops, take a bike ride, run or skateboard. If you stay indoors, you can listen and dance to music together.
- Tidy up the house. Appeal to younger kids’ pride that they’re “allowed” to sweep (and wash!) the floor, dust or fold laundry. For tweens and teens, broaden that to running a load of towels, making dinner or loading the dishwasher. (Sweeten the deal with task-appropriate payment, if needed.)
- Make a craft. Paint, make a collage, cut out paper snowflakes, and create colorful masks. Older kids can try their hand at making friendship bracelets, drawing comics, covering their bedroom wall with their favorite photos, making necklaces or earrings, or building a DIY lightsaber.
- Pull out those collections. (We’re talking theirs AND yours). They have their seashells, shark teeth, action figures and Pokémon cards. Do you still have your 1980s scratch-n-sniff sticker books, stamp collections, crystal and mineral samples and wheat pennies?
- Build a fort. You won’t be able to walk through the living room, but kids anywhere from 2 to early tweens find them fun. You can use dining room chairs, bed sheets and clips. You can use cardboard boxes. Give the kids markers, colored duct tape, and stickers.
- Build anything. Now’s the time to drag out the LEGO® blocks, Magna-Tiles®, model airplanes, constructor sets and all those things with gears and gizmos.
- Do a puzzle or play a board game. Jigsaw puzzles are great for all ages, when piece sizes and counts are appropriate. Push beyond the predictable CandyLand and Monopoly. Explore games like Bugs in the Kitchen, Enchanted Forest, Doodle Quest and Flashlights & Fireflies. Have family game night once a week.
- Revisit old photo albums and yearbooks. Nostalgia reigns, even in the young. So (if your kids pre-date the Instagram and Facebook-only sharing era), reach up on those high closet shelves and bring out their baby books, your childhood family photos and yearbooks.
- Bake. Younger kids love to help in the kitchen and older ones can scour cookbooks (or use their limited screen time) to pick a recipe or two that strike their fancy. Banana bread? Sugar cookies?
- Write. Use downtime away from the classroom as an opportunity to have them write a letter to a favorite aunt, grandparent or a friend they miss. Get them started on journaling or scrapbooking.
What Counts as “Screen Time”?
Screen time is any activity on or around an electronic device: phone, tablet, TV, computer, gaming system, smart speaker or smart watch. There are a few different types of screen time:
- Social screen time is when we connect with family and friends via social media, text messaging, video chatting and video conferencing.
- Passive screen time includes playing video games, using mindless apps on a phone or tablet or watching TV. This is the most consumptive and harmful type of screen time.
- Interactive screen time is when we interact with the real world through a device. This could be a nature app to identify plants or asking a child to document family time.
- Educational content, when well-designed, can have a positive impact on behavior, literacy and cognitive ability. This includes homework and research, but not “educational” apps or toys.
- Background noise. Having the TV on “in the background” can overstimulate and distract children.
The Impacts of Excessive Screen Time on Children's Health and Development
Too much screen time and regular exposure to poor-quality programming replaces live face-to-face interaction with parents and siblings. It encroaches on family time and is linked to:
- Obesity
- Poor sleep
- Behavior problems
- Delays in language and social skills
- Violence
- Attention problems
- Learning problems
- Social isolation
- Cyberbullying
- Anxiety and depression
Computer use and video gaming, especially violent and fast-paced content, have the strongest links to behavioral problems.
Screen Time Recommendations by Age
Based on guidelines from The World Health Organization (WHO), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), and other organizations, we recommend the following:
Age 0 to 36 months
No screen time. Unstructured playtime is more valuable for a young child's developing brain than is electronic media. Children this age benefit from natural learning, when they interact and play with parents, siblings and other children and adults.
Age 3 to 7 years
Limit screen use to ½ to 1 hour per day. Parents must watch what’s on the screen with their child and talk with them about it. Unsupervised screen time is not recommended.
Age 7 to 12 years
Limit screen use to 1 hour per day. Children under the age of 12 may benefit from not having their own phone, unless it is for emergency use. Kids this age may earn screen time by doing household chores.
Age 12 to 15 years
Limit screen use to 1½ hours per day. Children this age may have their own phone, but with parental controls to limit usage. Parents must regularly talk with their child about media use, including digital citizenship, what they’ve seen or read, who they are communicating with, and what they have learned.
Age 16 years and older
No more than 2 hours per day with the same rules as above.
Lead by Example
If you have too much screen time, your kids will too. If you eat in front of the TV, your kids will too. If you use electronics instead of talking to your kids, your kids have nobody with whom to talk.
To get the whole family on the same page, we recommend:
- No electronics in bedrooms. This includes the TV, gaming system, and smart speaker used for white noise, music and light shows.
- Set up a central charging station for the family.
- Refrain from using screens during meals or in bed.
- Regularly spend device-free time with your children.
Ensure Quality Screen Time
Preview programs, games and apps before allowing your child to view or play with them. Common Sense Media has programming ratings and reviews to help you determine what's appropriate for your child's age. Better yet, watch, play or use them with your child.
Seek out interactive options that engage your child, rather than those that only require pushing and swiping or staring at the screen.
Recommendations for Kids with Developmental Delays, Disabilities, or Special Needs
Children with these conditions are especially sensitive to screen time:
- Born preterm
- Developmental delay
- Autism spectrum disorder (ASD)
- Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
We understand managing screen time can be particularly challenging for parents of children with specific needs. Take a moment to reflect on your child's interactions with screens. Do you notice any signs that suggest they might be overly reliant on electronics?
Consider observing your child's behavior when screens are removed. You might find that they may express strong emotional responses like crying, yelling or even aggressive behaviors. These can be indicators of screen dependency and recognizing them can help you better understand your child's relationship with technology.
While screens can offer some learning opportunities, it’s crucial to monitor and balance their use, especially for children with heightened sensitivities. Encourage your child to participate in outdoor play, arts and crafts, or reading together, which can be wonderful ways to connect without screens.
Compared to neurotypical children, kids with developmental delays are at much higher risk for having behavioral problems and poor sleep related to screen time. Every minute that you or they are on a screen is less time interacting with others, communicating and learning.
Pediatrics at University Health
Have questions about how screen time affects your child? Schedule an appointment with a pediatric primary care provider at University Health.
