Modern technology has taken over our children’s life. Most kids nowadays like playing games on their tablet, phone or on consoles. It is not surprising because even at school, they are starting to incorporate new and technological ways to improve teaching the students. It is really very interesting to use the phone especially when almost every kind of entertainment can be found on it. Too much of this is when it becomes worrying about their personal development. Although there are undeniably a lot of benefits and convenience lined with using phones, a person, more specifically someone more vulnerable, like kids, can get very addicted. It is important to always control their phone usage and to try and do some of these activities to help them keep off the mobile phones for a little while.

1. Family Getaway

Kids usually look for something exciting to play on their phones. Getting them to go out with the whole family on a short vacation somewhere different can distract and occupy them to see the real life and the beauty of nature. Going out on a vacation somewhere far like near the woods also means that Wi-Fi signals will get worse.  Kids will be forced to do activities without their phones and actually enjoy nature. They can be introduced to other outdoor activities such as fishing and hiking across the mountains. Some kids even find experiences like this very therapeutic as they may find new friends and at the same time, learn to appreciate the simple things in life without technology.

2. Arts and craft project

This is a simple distraction for kids that can really work wonders. They like playing with colors and make activities like painting, doodling, or making bigger art projects like making stationery holders, kites or even swords. Do not limit them on what arts and crafts project they can do. Ask them to ask for help when they need assistance in using dangerous arts supplies such as a glue gun and scissors. Parents can also buy them a book that contains many different ideas for arts and crafts. These projects take time and will definitely be something your child can be busy with for a while

3. Cooking

Instead of being stuck in front of their phone all the time, parents can allow their children to help out with the preparation and cooking at home. Give them tasks that are not very dangerous. This means that they should not be made to handle a knife or other sharp objects. They should also be kept away from hot surfaces like the oven. Similar to art books, there are also cooking books that include recipes that are very easy to make and prepare. Allow your kids to discover these themselves by searching for recipes they want to try out. Help them check and provide the materials and ingredients needed to make the recipe.

4. Create a checklist of fun activities that can be done outdoors.

One of the reasons why kids like to be cooped up with their phone and other sources of technology is because they stay at home and feel like there is nothing else to do. There are tons of activities that can be done in the comfort of your own backyard but these may not motivate your child enough to actually stop using their phone and to go outside. Parents can bring them to playgrounds or other interactive centers such as jump yards and trampoline parks. It is fun, it is tiring, and the experience they get from doing these activities will be very worthwhile and thoroughly appreciated. It won’t be a surprise if your children start asking to go out to these places more often.

5. Plan a stayover for your kid with their friends

Another very effective alternative to keep your child interested in not using technology at home is when they actually have friends over. Parents can make the effort to plan a small meetup with their child’s friend’s parents to arrange a stayover for their children. This is something a lot of parents agree on and work together in order to make sure that their child is always doing things in a healthy and reactive way.  Staying away from technology can help them develop in different ways besides their mental development, which they actually develop when watching and reading things on their phone.

It is important to know the balance between different kinds of activities that your child is doing. Although it is good to mentally stimulate their brain with the videos and games on the phone, kids should still have time to be kids and run around outside with peers to improve physical development. Other individual activities can help them express themselves more and going out with the family is a great bonding time and time to self-reflect on everything about life.