How Best to Manage Kids’ Screen Time?
Monday, July 22, 2019
Our school supervisor, Kimberly, is honored to be one of the experts on the latest FREE Whizpa Ebook about managing your kids's screen time. Download here for free!
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1. Encourage a wide variety of interests and activities
If children have a wide variety of interests, they are far less likely to seek screen time. Reduce their dependency on devices for entertainment or boredom purposes by encouraging other interests, such as sports and art. It is recommended children to be active for an hour every day, and getting outside to play is one way to be sure that happens. Playing outside is great for encouraging children's creativity, learning abilities and includes numerous health benefits.
2. Put all devices away at specific times
Create device-free rituals specifically focusing on being together or quiet time. Keep your phone in a locked drawer or in a different room so you reduce the temptation to check it. These rituals could include bath times, story time, meals, or when outdoors for a short time (such as going to the park). Be respectful of the rituals or your children may see the hypocrisy.
3. Give alternative entertainment choices when out
If you’re out and about in town, bring books to read, travel games, an old digital camera, or a sketchbook and a small pack of crayons to keep them entertained instead of relying on screens to alleviate their boredom. These also ensure stronger connections to art, literacy and creativity later on. Add a small bookshelf next to the door stocked with things to take so kids remember to pack their entertainment when they leave the house.
4. Boost creativity
At home, create an inventor’s box out of any unused recyclable materials, such as empty boxes, toilet rolls, scrap paper, old magazines and clothes and teach your child how to use scissors, sewing materials, glue and staplers responsibly so they can make their own creations and inventions, which in turn will boost their creativity and problem-solving skills. You can also turn to our school’s Idea of the Month YouTube channel for inspiration!
4. Understand screen time privileges
Ensure children understand that screen time use is a privilege, not a right, that can be revoked if there are negative actions or undesirable behaviours. Set clear limits and don’t negotiate more screen time as a reward. Instead, offer other small rewards, such as a later bedtime or special activity (board games, etc).
5. Model good behaviour
Children will emulate your behaviour, so be mindful how you demonstrate your use of screens. Put phones away at meal times and engage with your family. Be honest with yourself if you are addicted to the screen too. Seek help if you feel you cannot make small changes to your habits by yourself. It’s important to be clear that spending quality time with your family is more important than the latest instagram post. Don’t mindlessly scroll if there are more important things to be focusing on. Turn the TV off when you’ve finished watching a programme.
6. Educate your children on the dangers
In an age-appropriate manner, explain how violent games, movies, and images can be harmful to kids. Discuss the potential dangers of online predators. Discuss as a family how to reduce potential risks. Most importantly, explain what the internet is and teach your children ways to protect themselves. For example, never share personal information online, seek an adult if you see a pop-up you don’t understand etc…And lastly, make sure your child is always near an adult when using a device to ensure they are only clicking on the gaming app/video the parent/caregiver has set up for your child.
7. Keep tech out of the bedroom
Don’t allow your child to have any TV, video game system or computer in their room. This includes hand-held devices as they can interfere with sleep. Research has shown shutting off the devices in the room isn't enough! Even having a phone or tablet in the room, without using it at night time, means poor quality sleep.
8. Increase ‘face time’
It’s best for children under two years to have no screen time. Between 2-6 years of age, no more than 10-15 minutes maximum per day should be considered. Children’s emotions and linguistic abilities are still developing and they are at risk of speech, cognitive and emotional delays the more exposure they have to screens. Turn “Facetime” into face-to-face interactions! This is key to healthy social skills so as they learn to interpret nonverbal cues and develop empathy.
9. Choose content wisely
Your family is likely to have a range of screens like televisions, computers, tablets and smartphones. This means that your baby or toddler might see images on these screens, even if he isn’t yet using them himself. Be aware of what your child might be seeing. For example, some images on the news or in video games can be quite violent and distressing, even for very young children who might not fully understand what they’re seeing.
10. Give your full attention
Focus on your child, engage them and avoid checking your phone when you’re playing or feeding them. This is especially important at playgroup or at school! Put your phone away and pay positive attention to your child. The last thing we want to see is your child showing you his/her latest artwork while you are busy on the phone. Help us build a strong value system and positive self-esteem for your child. Positive interaction helps them feel engaged and nurtured, as well as helps them learn vital communication skills, as well as visual and non-verbal cues and to connect emotionally. Trust your parenting instincts! If you have an inkling you are spending too much time on your phone, then you are!
If you’re interested in more exciting sensory activities to do with your child at home, subscribe to Hong Kong Kindergarten: Mighty Oaks idea of the month Youtube channel.
About Mighty Oaks:
At Mighty Oaks, the school is focused on character education. Our curriculum is designed to incorporate the nine “fruit of the spirit”: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. The bilingual/trilingual curriculum is based on two of the world’s best paradigms for early years education—the United Kingdom’s Early Years Foundation Stages Curriculum (EYFS) and the Canadian Full-Day Early Learning–Kindergarten Program Curriculum—adapted to suit the learning expectations in Hong Kong. Our children explore, learn, laugh, love and grow together in a nurturing educational environment so our students will blossom from acorns into oaks of righteousness.
===============================
➡【Join our Mighty Oaks family / 快來加入奧恩大家庭！】
➡【Acorn Playgroup Trial Class/Acorn親子班試堂優
----------------------------------------
1. Encourage a wide variety of interests and activities
If children have a wide variety of interests, they are far less likely to seek screen time. Reduce their dependency on devices for entertainment or boredom purposes by encouraging other interests, such as sports and art. It is recommended children to be active for an hour every day, and getting outside to play is one way to be sure that happens. Playing outside is great for encouraging children's creativity, learning abilities and includes numerous health benefits.
2. Put all devices away at specific times
Create device-free rituals specifically focusing on being together or quiet time. Keep your phone in a locked drawer or in a different room so you reduce the temptation to check it. These rituals could include bath times, story time, meals, or when outdoors for a short time (such as going to the park). Be respectful of the rituals or your children may see the hypocrisy.
3. Give alternative entertainment choices when out
If you’re out and about in town, bring books to read, travel games, an old digital camera, or a sketchbook and a small pack of crayons to keep them entertained instead of relying on screens to alleviate their boredom. These also ensure stronger connections to art, literacy and creativity later on. Add a small bookshelf next to the door stocked with things to take so kids remember to pack their entertainment when they leave the house.
4. Boost creativity
At home, create an inventor’s box out of any unused recyclable materials, such as empty boxes, toilet rolls, scrap paper, old magazines and clothes and teach your child how to use scissors, sewing materials, glue and staplers responsibly so they can make their own creations and inventions, which in turn will boost their creativity and problem-solving skills. You can also turn to our school’s Idea of the Month YouTube channel for inspiration!
4. Understand screen time privileges
Ensure children understand that screen time use is a privilege, not a right, that can be revoked if there are negative actions or undesirable behaviours. Set clear limits and don’t negotiate more screen time as a reward. Instead, offer other small rewards, such as a later bedtime or special activity (board games, etc).
5. Model good behaviour
Children will emulate your behaviour, so be mindful how you demonstrate your use of screens. Put phones away at meal times and engage with your family. Be honest with yourself if you are addicted to the screen too. Seek help if you feel you cannot make small changes to your habits by yourself. It’s important to be clear that spending quality time with your family is more important than the latest instagram post. Don’t mindlessly scroll if there are more important things to be focusing on. Turn the TV off when you’ve finished watching a programme.
6. Educate your children on the dangers
In an age-appropriate manner, explain how violent games, movies, and images can be harmful to kids. Discuss the potential dangers of online predators. Discuss as a family how to reduce potential risks. Most importantly, explain what the internet is and teach your children ways to protect themselves. For example, never share personal information online, seek an adult if you see a pop-up you don’t understand etc…And lastly, make sure your child is always near an adult when using a device to ensure they are only clicking on the gaming app/video the parent/caregiver has set up for your child.
7. Keep tech out of the bedroom
Don’t allow your child to have any TV, video game system or computer in their room. This includes hand-held devices as they can interfere with sleep. Research has shown shutting off the devices in the room isn't enough! Even having a phone or tablet in the room, without using it at night time, means poor quality sleep.
8. Increase ‘face time’
It’s best for children under two years to have no screen time. Between 2-6 years of age, no more than 10-15 minutes maximum per day should be considered. Children’s emotions and linguistic abilities are still developing and they are at risk of speech, cognitive and emotional delays the more exposure they have to screens. Turn “Facetime” into face-to-face interactions! This is key to healthy social skills so as they learn to interpret nonverbal cues and develop empathy.
9. Choose content wisely
Your family is likely to have a range of screens like televisions, computers, tablets and smartphones. This means that your baby or toddler might see images on these screens, even if he isn’t yet using them himself. Be aware of what your child might be seeing. For example, some images on the news or in video games can be quite violent and distressing, even for very young children who might not fully understand what they’re seeing.
10. Give your full attention
Focus on your child, engage them and avoid checking your phone when you’re playing or feeding them. This is especially important at playgroup or at school! Put your phone away and pay positive attention to your child. The last thing we want to see is your child showing you his/her latest artwork while you are busy on the phone. Help us build a strong value system and positive self-esteem for your child. Positive interaction helps them feel engaged and nurtured, as well as helps them learn vital communication skills, as well as visual and non-verbal cues and to connect emotionally. Trust your parenting instincts! If you have an inkling you are spending too much time on your phone, then you are!
If you’re interested in more exciting sensory activities to do with your child at home, subscribe to Hong Kong Kindergarten: Mighty Oaks idea of the month Youtube channel.
About Mighty Oaks:
At Mighty Oaks, the school is focused on character education. Our curriculum is designed to incorporate the nine “fruit of the spirit”: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. The bilingual/trilingual curriculum is based on two of the world’s best paradigms for early years education—the United Kingdom’s Early Years Foundation Stages Curriculum (EYFS) and the Canadian Full-Day Early Learning–Kindergarten Program Curriculum—adapted to suit the learning expectations in Hong Kong. Our children explore, learn, laugh, love and grow together in a nurturing educational environment so our students will blossom from acorns into oaks of righteousness.
===============================
➡【Join our Mighty Oaks family / 快來加入奧恩大家庭！】
➡【Acorn Playgroup Trial Class/Acorn親子班試堂優
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