Children are spending an excessive amount of time staring at screens.
This is according to a report by Healthy Active Kids South Africa in 2018. The report notes that South African children spend more than three hours a day on a screen. This excludes time spent doing research for school.
While screen time offers a break and a distraction, excessive screen time for children leads to unhealthy habits. Parents are urged to limit the time their children spend staring at screens, especially during school holidays.
Plan nature walks and hikes
If you are in an area close to a nature reserve or park, head outside as a family.
Even a walk around the block will do wonders and give your child some much-needed fresh air.
Go on a bush break
If you have the means, plan a holiday in the bush for the family.
There is no better way to keep kids off their devices than to physically take them away from technology and into an area that encourages disconnecting.
Enjoy your own backyard
If you have outdoor space in the form of a backyard, get the children to make bird feeders.
If your yard is not child-friendly at the moment, involve your child in the process. Work together to clean up the yard, plant flowers and create an inviting outdoor environment.
Sign them up to volunteer
Animal shelters are always in need of volunteers to do some cleaning, walk the animals and help with playtime.
Organise outdoor play dates
Collaborate with other parents to set up outdoor play dates for your children. Each day could be a different parent’s responsibility to come up with something fun for them to do.
It does not have to be the whole day. It could be an hour-long treasure hunt in someone’s backyard, a picnic in the local park, or even a creative and messy play day where children get to do arts and crafts.
