Too Much Holiday Screen Time?
School is out, it’s cold outside, and while you’re trying to get last-minute holiday preparations done, your kids are underfoot, with extra time on their hands. Maybe they’re even, dare we say it, a bit bored. It’s likely that at some point over winter break, they’re probably going to plunk themselves down in front of a screen, and for longer than you’d hoped.
Well, yeah! Your kids’ extra screen time doesn’t have to be a source of guilt or a disaster. If your kids go for quality over quantity, there are fun and enriching ways to turn television, movies, games, and apps into learning opportunities.
Here are some tips:
· Find new games and apps that encourage critical thinking and creativity. If you’ve got the time, play with them alongside your kids! Grown-ups deserve a bit of fun too, and it’ll give you a window into what they’re playing, and what they’re getting out of it.
· Ask your young thinkers to think critically and evaluate what they play. Do their games and apps spark curiosity and creativity? Are they gaining skills and knowledge from them? Would they recommend them to others? Have them design their own app or game that would tackle a big question they’ve been dying to ask.
· Movies, online videos, and TV shows for kids of all ages are a great source of discussion, and lots of them present big ideas and big questions. Challenge your kids to find three interesting questions that spring from a favourite show or film. Watch them together and have a discussion after. If your kids are so inclined, they can even shoot your own mini-film or mini-show that tackles a new question.
· Come up with a must-see list revolving around their favourite topic or big question (ex. if you want to watch movies about happiness, try these ones…), and share with friends.
True, no kid should be glued to a screen their entire time off (neither should big thinkers, really). There are people to see, good things to eat, holidays to celebrate, and lots of outdoor activities to partake in. But don’t panic if they wind up curled up with a device once in a while. There are lots of ways to make it screen time well-spent, while giving them a leg up on thinking skills when they return to school in the new year.
