Screen Free Week is May 4 – 10, 2015. Are you willing to unplug and spend your free time hiking, walking, crafting, or finding a quiet place to sit and enjoy the outdoors?
In just the last 10 years or so, technology has made it possible for nearly every member of the family to own a digital device. Unfortunately, for some kids (and grown ups), screen time has replaced playtime or physical activity. This is concerning because excessive screen time has been linked to obesity for both children and adults.
Children born in the last 10 years will never know what it was like before smartphones and tablets. I’m grateful for my memories of playing outside from morning until dark, using my imagination to be an explorer, a treasure hunter, a soccer player, and a bug collector. I remember waking up extra early for Saturday morning cartoons. Afterwards, the rest of my Saturday was spent outdoors. I remember when TV networks played the national anthem indicating it was signing off. Now we have kids’ networks running 24 hours a day.
In celebration of Screen Free Week, I encourage you and your family to spend your free time interacting with each other rather than a digital device. For ideas, click here.
What do you remember doing as a child that didn’t involve a screen?
-Lisa