The week of April 29–May 5, 2013 is Screen Free Week, a week when kids and their parents turn off the TV, video games, computers, smart phones, and tablets and find healthier ways to have fun. What fun activities do you have planned?
According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, kids ages 8–18 now spend, on average, a whopping 7.5 hours in front of a screen for entertainment each day, 4.5 of which are spent watching TV. Over a year, that adds up to 114 full days watching a screen for fun. That’s just the time they spend in front of a screen for entertainment. It doesn’t include the time they spend on the computer at school for educational purposes or at home for homework.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends children get at least 60 minutes of physical activity each day. You know… the “1” in 5-2-1-0. That doesn’t have to mean joining a sports team. Walking the dog, riding a bike around the block, and dancing in the living room all count as physical activity.
CDC created an interactive infographic to inform parents about how much screen time kids are experiencing on average each day. This infographic also offers physical activity ideas and tips for parents on limiting entertainment screen time. You can also check out Let’s Go!’s Parent Resource Page for more tips and information on reducing screen time and increasing physical activity. Try sitting down with your kids and using these resources to make a family fun plan for Screen Free Week.
Cutting back on recreational screen time for our kids, we can make more room for active, quality family time – and help keep our kids happy and healthy!