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5 Ways to Reduce Screen Time for Kids 

October 5, 2022

Technology is a wonderful tool that can be used to enhance our lives and the lives of our children. It can open up new worlds and educational opportunities. But too much screen time comes with downsides as well. Studies have shown that too much screen time can negatively impact a child’s focus, attention span, social skills, and even physical and mental health. When it comes to screen time for children, moderation is key: both in terms of setting limits (and sticking to them), and creating opportunities for fun outside of devices. Here are five tips you might find useful: 

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Image: Freepik (Flaticon)

1. Set Family Screen-Free Times and Lead by Example

Teach children about digital distraction and help them manage their time wisely. Set up regular “screen-free” times that everyone follows. Whether it is after dinner or before bedtime, make sure there are set times during which all electronic devices are turned off and out of sight for the entire family. This will help establish boundaries around screen time without being overly strict—and if you set those boundaries by example with your own behaviour, all the better!

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Image: Freepik (Flaticon)

2. Put a Daily Limit on Screen Time 

When you set a daily limit for screen time, it is important to make sure that the limit is realistic and enforceable. But how much is too much? Many experts agree that the average screen time for children under the age of five should be less than an hour, and not more than two hours for older children. Once you decide on an appropriate daily limit, enforce it by setting up clear consequences for exceeding the amount allowed each day—and make sure those consequences are reasonable. For example: if your child exceeds their weekly allowance for video game playing by three hours over their allotted 12 hours, then perhaps he or she can have less access to technology during the following week to adjust the balance. 

3. Use Free Printables to Track Screen Time 

Printable trackers are a way to enforce screen time limits and teach children to be mindful of their screen time. This weekly tracker will allow you and your child to keep track of screen activities, time spent on them, and total screen hours per day. 

We understand that limiting screen time can be difficult at times. Screen Time Bingo turns it into a game and will hopefully make your job as a parent a little bit easier. Two bingo grids are ready for you to fill in what you think would be useful for your child and set them for a challenge (and don’t forget to add some fun and outdoor activities too!) Once they get bingo, you can award them a Screen Time Voucher. All printables from our Free Resources Hub are free to download! 

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Image: Freepik (Flaticon)

4. Make Screen Time Collaborative and Interactive 

Ensure that when using a screen children are not just sitting back and watching passively. You can encourage children to engage with the content by making screen time collaborative and interactive. 

For example, if your child is watching a show, try asking them questions while they watch. This can be as simple as “what do you think Lisa is thinking in this scene?” or it could be more complex such as “why do you think Ben went into the woods alone?” Another fun way to make screen time more interactive is to watch educational videos together and then try out some of the activities afterwards (e.g., making slime). 

5. Explore “Screen-Free” Games and Activities 

Board and puzzle games help your children unplug from the digital world! Smart Games has a wonderful range of incredibly entertaining, yet logical games for all ages that help children develop their cognitive and analytical skills. To play these games, children need to use multiple senses, promoting their hand-eye coordination and spatial skill. You can explore award-winning Smart Games for all ages here.  

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Win a Bundle of Smart Games! 

A lucky winner will receive a bundle of Smart Games delivered free in the UK. Simply enter our Instagram Giveaway competition to win three incredible games for your little ones! *** Competition is now CLOSED ***

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