Summer break brings longer days, looser schedules and a lot more unstructured time, which often also means more screen time. While productive screen time can be beneficial, spending too much time on electronic devices can have drawbacks for children, including eye strain, poor sleep quality and reduced attention spans. When it comes to screen time, balance is key. Read on to learn how you can help your child find the right balance this summer break.

Why Screen Habits Shift Over Summer Break

School days come with built-in structure. Without it, kids look for other ways to fill their time and avoid boredom. Many years ago, that may have been to play outside or pick up a toy. Nowadays, screens tend to be the go-to way for children to entertain themselves. Over summer break, they may be looking for ways to fill all that extra time, and that’s where these electronic devices come in. 

Aside from being a convenient way to spend the lazy summer days, there’s also a scientific piece to it. Screens provide instant gratification and constant dopamine hits. Over time, other types of entertainment may become less interesting because they don’t provide the level of dopamine children become accustomed to. On top of that, the blue light emitted from screens can suppress melatonin in the body, affecting a child’s ability to fall asleep or stay asleep.

Setting Limits That Stick

Helping your child manage their screen time starts with setting healthy limits. There are a couple of ways to go about this. Some families find it helpful to set a specific number of hours each person is allowed to spend on screens each day, and these hours can be used whenever the person chooses. Other families prefer to stick to time-of-day guidelines. This can mean no screens during meal times or bedtime, or only using screens in the morning, afternoon or evening. The key is to choose the structure that works best for your family, as this will help everyone stay consistent. A helpful way to keep everyone on board and accountable is to keep a visual tracker posted in a common area, making it each person’s responsibility to track their own screen time.

Finding Non-Screen Alternatives

Simply telling children to limit their screen time won’t exactly cut it. You need to give them fun alternatives so they can combat boredom and keep their minds engaged. Think of activities that support different areas of their development. For example, encourage them to build something, do arts and crafts, play pretend or spend some time outside. Visits to the library, museum or local swimming pool are also great ways to get kids out of the house and off screens. You can even give them everyday responsibilities like helping cook dinner, setting the table or feeding pets. Getting them involved in household chores gives them something to do and teaches them to be a contributing member of the family while giving them a break from screens.

Making Screen Time Count

Limiting screen time doesn’t have to mean eliminating it. Screen time, when spent productively, can be quite beneficial to a child’s development. Aside from using screens as pure entertainment, children can use them to strengthen or learn new skills. Think educational apps, math games, virtual museum tours and digital art. Even shows or games they already enjoy can have educational value. Ask questions about what they’re watching and why they think certain characters made the choices they made. Create activities based on an episode of a show or a level of a game, like drawing or acting out the next scene.

With a little mindfulness and encouragement, your child can have a healthy, balanced summer break with productive screen time and other engaging activities. At Lake Forrest Prep, we provide a supportive, nurturing learning environment where students stay engaged and are given opportunities to explore their interests. Learn more about our mission here or contact us online to inquire about our K-8 preparatory school in Orlando.