"Screen-Free Week" (first week of May) was created for families to detox their brains from the screens and reconnect with the fun of creative play. Most of us know that it's hard to avoid turning on televisions and devices as a source of entertainment for ourselves, or our kids. Still, I have personally survived a full day of no screen-based entertainment with my children and the benefits were obvious right from the start!
I won't lie though.
I almost caved and turned on a cartoon more than once today. It is clear a habit has been formed in our family that revolves around the tv, especially in the early morning and end of the day - it is a go-to parenting tool when getting breakfast and kids ready for the day and also while preparing dinner and then wrapping our crew up for bedtime. Several times today our youngest asked for "a little show" and then cried briefly when the answer was always "No, no TV today". I felt her sadness because I like "a little show" too and there are some great learning programs available for kids of all ages nowadays. The good news is that the fun we were having in the moments surrounding her requests greatly outweighed the benefits we would have gotten from a 30-minute episode of whatever cartoon happened to be on at that time.
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Some of the immediate benefits were:
- connecting one-on-one with our children in an interactive manner
- discovering new games together
- playing some classics that have been shoved to the back, or bottom, of the toy pile
- creating together with different art materials
- watching our children learn new skills
- seeing that our children are fully capable of independent play, or "being bored", for extended periods
- conversing together instead of talking at, around or above each other
It was obvious too that more than just playing and having fun was happening today. Our daughter was developing her skills such as motor, communication, thinking, and problem-solving. She was also fine-tuning her creativity and ability to share which is a beautiful thing to witness!
Ann Kienzle, a toy industry veteran, Certified Play Expert, and founder of Chicago's beloved stores *play in Logan Square, Lincoln Park, West Loop & Andersonville, knows the importance of screen-free play for children of all ages. Through her new mission of *play every day she is teaching us that "Play is fundamental to a child’s development. Just like food and water give a body fuel to grow, play fuels the brain."
Had I been more prepared for the first full day of no screens, brought my "A" game so to speak, then it is likely the requests for a show, and mini-meltdowns, could have been avoided, or at least reduced. In an effort to be better prepared for the rest of the week, I have created a list of activities that can supplement any classes or events you have already planned:
- Explore a (new) park or playground
- Write a letter to someone and walk to the post office to mail it
- Build a fort
- Read a book with toys/props
- Make a town using recycled materials and art supplies
- Plant some flowers or seeds
- Visit the library and pick up a new book or grab-n-go project
- Write a story
- Make something in the kitchen together - for eating or playing!
- Visit a museum
- Chalk your sidewalk or playground
- Go for a ride on the Water Taxi or one of the architecture tours
- Check out a family yoga class
- Have a picnic - inside or outside
- Make paper airplanes
- Play Freeze Dance
- Make & decorate cookies
- Play a board or card game
- Go camping in your house
This week is a time to embrace this theory and give our families so much more than just a week of no video games or television. It is a gift to give our children, and ourselves, the time to learn through play, exploration, and creativity.
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For more information on Screen-Free Week, please visit www.screenfree.org which hosts resources for encouraging screen-free play at home and at school.
Please visit *Play Every Day and learn more about the power of play in Chicago and how you can help bring the tools for play to those underserved in our city.
*this article originally appeared in April 2019 and has been updated as of April 2024
