This is a sponsored post on behalf of The Genius of Play. All thoughts are my own.
Raising kids in this day and age is like wading through an unknown territory. With technology a fingertip away and the ability to connect easily it can be hard to find a balance for our kids for screen time vs play. Obviously it’s a personal choice and you’re going to do what’s best for your family, but what’s the balance?
At Blogger Bash this year I learned about Genius of Play and was so fascinated by all they are doing to encourage more play. They have a some great conversation starters out there that made me look at what I’m allowing my children to do, play and learn from. This Kids and Screens video really resonated with me because it’s been something I, as a parent, struggle with.
For my family I keep the screen time super limited. Yes, both my kids have their own tablets, and the adults have ipads, but I try to not let them play. While my husband, who spends more time with them as the stay at home parent, allows them more time. Sure they are doing a combination of learning, playing and being entertained, but it kind of drives me crazy. I would rather them pick up a book, or make a house out of cardboard boxes, but they crave this individual time with the screen. They say they like getting to figure things out themselves and I know they are learning so I try to keep the screen time timed. This way we don’t have fights or arguments.
Now don’t get me wrong screen time isn’t just sitting in front of tablet, it’s also the tv, and something I’ve really enjoyed is when we as a family play games that get us up and active. Dancing or swinging our arms about and laughing together isn’t necessarily education, but it’s fun and playful and that’s something I can get behind. It’s a family activity that brings us together.
The one spot I really let them indulge is when traveling. In the car or on a plane they don’t have a lot of options for being physical, and after I’ve exhausted our road trip games I feel okay about letting them enjoy the screen in the hopes that they are picking the education games, instead of just watching the same movie for the 100th time.
Do I think outside play is key? Yes, but I also feel that creative and imaginative play both on and off a screen is important. Life is all about moderation and balance, and I think the same applies for screen time.
How do you feel about kids and screens?
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This is me Destiny! I'm a content creator that covers DIY, Cricut, Travel, National Parks, Disney, Games and Family. I’m navigating life with my husband Mike, 2 kids and live in the suburbs of Maplewood, New Jersey.
I feel the same as you. I like to limit screen time but in a car or airplane, all rules go out the window 😬
It’s always nice to know you’re not alone!
I’m with you! Having good a balance is important. Sometimes a good round of Just Dance! on the Wii is a great family event – but a quiet afternoon of reading and actual book is golden!
I totally agree. Wii is so much fun when we’re doing it as a family and I love an afternoon of reading.
I’m a Wii dancer, too! And I try to get my three year old into it with me, cause let’s face it, that may be the only exercise I get for the day. But we are still figuring out screen time, as he doesn’t have a tablet yet and luckily hasn’t asked for one. And yes, he gets the iPad on plane rides. Otherwise, we’d lose our minds.
Oh yay, wii is one of my things I like to do to stay active, and doing it with the kids is great!