These Tips on How to Get Kids Active While On Screens might be handy for parents who find their kids a little too docile during entertainment time. TV, computers, tablets and phones all have entertainment capabilities but it is also very complicit experience. Here are a few tips on how to get kids active while on screens….
Tips on How to Get Kids Active While On Screens
Limit screen time
Perhaps obvious to some (but funny how time can go by while Mom is checking email, making dinner, supervising other kids — all of a sudden a bunch of time has gone by and the kid is still in front of the TV). My rule is no screens until 4pm weekend or weekday. That way, there are no fights about turning on a screen (because it just doesn’t happen). Also, the kids know they have to be active and screen-free from breakfast til 4pm.
20-20-20 rule
They say to follow the 20-20-20 rule when on a computer. For every 20 minutes you are on…stop for 20 seconds and look 20 (feet? inches? I forget the exact measurement) away. Basically it’s to take your eyes off the screen. Instead we can switch this up and make a new 20-20-20 active rule. For every 20 minutes on a screen stop for 20 seconds and do 20 stretches. It will engage the body and be better for your eyes.
Cross fit screen time
A step up from the 20-20-20 rule. Every 30 minutes (or when the kid show is done) do 3 minutes of cross-fit. Jumping jacks, burpees, mountain climbers. It’s kind of like a commercial break for your body.
Related: DIY OLYMPICS AT HOME FOR KIDS
Watch/play an active show/video/game
Note: none of my recommendations below are sponsored.
Many kids’ TV shows and video games have active components to them. And of course, Youtube has a bazillion. I recommend: Cosmic Yoga Kids on Youtube (it’s a yoga show inside a youtube episode) and GoNoodle (movement and mindfulness great for daily physical activity). GoNoodle was recommended to me by a teacher friend who used it as a classroom tool to get kids active and bring them back to focus.
Yes, screen time has it’s place but it can become a land-slide of couch-potato-ed-ness. It does no harm to shake up screen time for kids.
This is a great post and so helpful,we really need to move more….and it all start be example
We’re trying to find a good yoga for beginners on youtube – even Cosmic Yoga seems too fast for us!
I absolutely love these tips! Something I can definitely start doing with my oldest daughter. She is autistic and loves her ipad … she actually learns a great deal on it but yes being on it for a bit without doing any sort of physical activity is never a good thing either
really great tips!
I’ve usd some of these tips for myself. ie I don’t watch TV during the day and I’ve started to set a timer to get me up from the computer for a few minutes of stretching or chores every hour.
Good tips. I’m just getting to the point where it could become a problem with my boys