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“Once upon a time, a place in which most of kids spend hours staring at digital screens every day”, I am sure you know this place and also I bet you would like to know how to find a way of gently disconnecting your children from the screen, of bringing them back into the real world without continual bumps and bruises along the way. Well, I have been exploring a lot many topics related to the positive and negative effects of screens on youngsters. Also, we have heard and read a lot that technology dependence can become a serious problem in children, right?
And we still have much more to learn, mainly because each month sees the launch of tons of new interesting gadgets and electronic toys, so we have to keep in mind the mantra of “offline life is much more enjoyable” to avoid being caught in a trap.
According to Sean Grover, a psychotherapist, author with more than 20 years’ experience working with adults and children, technology dependency can cause psychological disorders even in adults, although we have already developed a total cognitive capacity to know that this situation in excess is not normal.
But how to avoid certain traps, when the only option for entertaining our children at times seems something related to the digital world?
I know sometimes it is tough to be creative, funny, entertaining and a responsible adult at the same time, but maybe my reading tip can help you. I bought this book last year in a charity shop (I am a big fan of them BTW); the title is “101 Kids Activities That Are the Bestest, Funnest Ever”, written by Holly Homer and Rachel Miller. It is a fascinating publication; basically, there are 101 ideas for activities outdoor and indoor, and it is perfect for grey days in the winter or even on sunny days, during school breaks, weekends, etc. This book consists of an amazing compilation with 192 pages, with photos and nice illustrations to explain the steps for each activity. This book is definitely full of engaging activities and tips depending on your child's age (3 to 12 years old).
I understand that screen time dilemma has become one of the major parenting issues of our current society, taking into consideration that computers, tablets, gadgets, in general, seem the easiest way for amusing and entertaining children. However, Angela Owens, a specialist in children’s development, explains that besides all the benefits of physical activity, there are several benefits for children when they work in manual activities such as drawing and painting, and these are indispensable for these children to develop the muscles in their hands with precise and delicate movements.
Through in-depth studies into children’s cognitive development process, the psychologist Vygotsky emphasises that through games, play and imaginative activities, children are able to recreate, rethink, imitate and experience events, among other actions that enable them to learn and build their self-esteem, helping in the process of interacting with themselves and with others, and also developing their imagination, creativity, motor ability and reasoning.
I hope you found this post useful, or at least you found convincing reasons for encouraging your children to practice physical activities, helping them develop their creativity and their motor skills. By the way, have a look at a special post about the impact of technology on children's body "Digital Kid's Body" it's written by a physiotherapist.
Also, have a look at my post Screen Free Summer 15 ideas to make your children unplug from digital technology.
FYI: this is not a paid advertisement.
Book: “101 Kids Activities That Are the Bestest, Funnest Ever”, Page Street Publishing, Holly Homer and Rachel Miller
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References:
https://ccea.org.uk/sites/default/files/docs/curriculum/area_of_learning/fs_learning_outdoors_resource_book.pdf
Vygotsky - studies about cognitive development
https://www.minilabstudios.com/why-drawing-is-important-for-your-childs-development/
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