Playtime is serious business! No seriously. Nowadays, children tend to stay glued to their mobile for fun and entertainment rather than engage in outdoor activity. In order to develop your child’s creative and movement skills, it is important that they venture outdoor to play rather than staying put.
Being glued to the mobile screen most of the time, a child is deprived from developing motor skills from physical activity and social skills that they could learn from hanging out with their friends. Getting your child off their phone can be very challenging in today’s world. Here are 8 time tested methods to you get your child break away from their electronic screens to play outdoors:
1. Explain
Talk to your child about potential downsides of excessive playtime on the phone. If they understand the problems mobile phones may cause, they will be more inclined to choose outdoor play.
2. Show them and participate
Just talking to your child will not be enough. Show them how they can have fun outdoors. Indulge in activities and simple fun in a park, garden or just anywhere outside. Point out things which may interest them and let them associate outdoors with happy experience in their mind. If you participate in some activities along with them, they are even more likely to come back to do it again.
3. Put the phone away
Keep their mobile phone inaccessible in such a way that your child does not get to use it. When the mobile is out of sight, your child is more likely to indulge in outside playtime. Ensure that you are aware whenever your child is using their phone.
4. Limit your child’s screen time
Parental control on your child’s device is a great tool for you to raise a healthy child. It can help you control screen addiction and your child is bound to set a routine and go outside to play.
5. Lock the phone for some time
You may either set a password to your child’s phone or schedule the time when their phone will be locked. Your child will be forced to keep the mobile away and go enjoy playing with friends under the sky.
6. Outdoors before screen time
Agree as part of phone rules with your child that screen time will not be compromised with outdoor playtime
7. Use phone charging time effectively
Create fun outdoor tasks where children have to collect items from nature and bring them home while their phone is kept to charge
8. Disconnect home WiFi for some time
This is an extreme measure but can be very effective. Children discover other ways to entertain themselves aside from browsing and would be encouraged to go out and play with their friends. However, if the child has a data connection, this method may not yield results.
There is an easier way to achieve the same result
Qubit’s phones have built-in and easy to configure parental controls. You can create schedules for homework, outdoor play, hobby classes etc which ensure that the child’s phone locks all irrelevant apps during that period and child can concentrate on that activity. Watch the video below to learn more.
Know any more ways of getting your child outdoors? Leave a comment to share the knowledge with other parents.
