Today we are sharing an article written by Cynthia Dvorak from ScreenLessPlayMore.com and host of the Screen Less Play More podcast.

The reason we’re excited to share this guest post is because my wife and I (and now our son too) have done “Wifi-Free” Sundays for over a decade as a way to take a tech peace pause every week… and so when Cynthia sent us her article, we thought it was the perfect strategy to share with screen-fatigued families on our email list. We hope you enjoy it!

I know you might shudder when thinking about an entire day without the crutch of screens. Especially when you have to take care of your children. But rest assured, there’s a way to unplug that doesn’t include screaming obscenities or hopping the next jet to Vegas.

Start small. Have a plan. Understand why.

My sons were about 3 and 5 when we started this journey. Prior to this, every moment that they weren’t watching a show, they were begging for one. And every time I told them to hand over the iPad, they attempted a Bluey-induced coup.

So I introduced Screen Free Sunday.

My sister thought I had lost my marbles.

For the first two weeks, my sons asked if they could watch a show about ten times per minute. But by week three, they never even asked. Never. They realized that mom was serious.

Once they had time to play and “nothing better to do,” they got so creative. I was amazed by the games they invented, the imaginary worlds they inhabited, and the laughter that ensued.

How to logoff without going loco

I am not by ANY means suggesting that you go white-knuckle, COVID-lockdown-style and wake up with no plans and tell your screen fans to “go play.” That, my friends, is a recipe for a trainwreck crashing into a dumpster fire.

Start small.

If your household is used to grabbing a tablet or a TV any time that boredom strikes, you’ll need to take this in bite-sized pieces. Maybe your first Screen Free Sunday will be from breakfast until lunch. Maybe it will be from sundown to bedtime.

Going screen free is a skill that must be learned and a muscle that must be strengthened. At first, your kids are going to whine “I’m bored,” about once per minute… But boredom is healthy. You’re going to feel that itch for instant Instagram gratification. The more you go without, the better you’ll get at it.

Have a plan. I’m serious.

While you are new at Screen Free Sunday, you might benefit from getting out of the house. That saves you from the usual screen routine (and temptations.) Some families find it helpful to have a standing date every Sunday morning like swimming lessons, or church, or breakfast out with the grandparents. Some prefer to choose an activity the night before and mix it up each week. We tend to do a little of both.

But don’t wake up and ask “what do you guys want to do today?” You’re asking for trouble!

Screen Free Ideas Away From Home

• ​Play Chi Ball – together!​
• Go to the park!
• Ride bikes to a fun destination like a restaurant or library.
• Hike in nature
• Play games or make art
• Check out a museum (many libraries offer free passes)
• Go swimming at the local pool, ocean, or indoor rec center!
• For older kids, try an escape room!
• Get creative at a pottery studio.
• Visit the zoo!
• Get your nails done together!
• Visit an indoor playground!
• Check out the children’s museum.
• Visit ScreenLessPlayMore.com for LOTS of screen free activity ideas

You Don’t Have to Leave the House to Go Screen Free

Maybe going outside this week is too cold or too hot…. But if you are going to unplug at home, you still need a plan.

In “The Opt-Out Family” author Erin Loechner suggests that we “imitate the algorithm” in our real lives. When you open up Instagram or TikTok, the video is already rolling – there’s no need to press play. Thus, instead of asking your kids what they want to do, have a game or toy already laid out before they wake up.

Kids are much more likely to get engrossed in play if the board game is already set on the breakfast table than if they walk into the kitchen and you ask, “do you guys want to play a board game?” (The answer I get is always ‘no.’ But if I start playing, they always join me.)

Similarly, if my kids start whining that they’re bored, nothing I suggest ever seems to placate them. However, if I grab a picture book and start reading, they’re immediately engrossed. Or, if I set out a bunch of loose parts (markers, rocks, sticks, cardboard boxes) I can ignore them (i.e. read a book), and they get lost in creation.

Keep these ideas in mind for the moments when you’re ready to pull out your hair (and pull out the iPads.)

I must admit that the secret ingredient to sanity is to go outside. That can be as simple as reading a book on the porch, playing hopscotch on the sidewalk, or looking for ladybugs in the backyard. Like I said, it may be too hot or too cold some days. But I find that if we are dressed appropriately for the weather, the outdoors helps me avoid getting overwhelmed. I think you’ll find that it is usually a messy house that overstimulates you, not your kids.

The gold standard is that you can wake up on a Sunday, and your kids start to play on their own. (Had you told me in 2020 that my kids would do that someday, I would have laughed you out of the Apple Store.) But after almost 5 years of Screen Free Sunday, that is exactly what happens. My boys wake up, and not once do they ask to turn on the TV. They know that I’m going to say no because I have been for 5 years. Consistency is key.

Screen Free Ideas for Indoors

• Hide and seek
• Solitaire or other card games
• Learn to sew together
• Have the kids make a scavenger hunt for each other
• Bake something yummy together!
• Roller skate in the garage or basement
• Make a fort out of boxes or couch cushions
• Invite friends over
• Write a letter to a grandparent or friend
• Board games
• Combine board games to make your own game
• Learn how to juggle
• Play pretend games like “store,” or “library.”
• Write a letter to your favorite author

Where do I begin?

I know this can be daunting – especially with really young kids. But you can do this. And the benefit to your family is enormous.

If your kids are unfamiliar with free play, try this trick: Ask yourself this- “What activity does my child always want to do when I’m desperately trying to get them into the bath or into the car?” Does he grab a book from the floor and start reading? Does she start building with scattered Legos? Does he chase the dog in the backyard?

Whatever their default setting is, start there.

If they enjoy building, set a bucket of blocks on the breakfast table. If they love playing with dolls, put a couple of Barbies at the foot of their bed. You get the idea.

As soon as the charm wears off, get on to the next thing. It might be building a fort, it might be playing card games, or it might be tag in the backyard. If you’re doing it, they’ll do it. And once they get engrossed, you can slip off to read a magazine or start dinner.

Screen Free Sunday gets easier

When my boys were very young, I would set up an elaborate activity in the sensory bin, or some obstacle course I had seen on Pinterest. And without fail, the activities I had spent so long curating kept their interest for only ten minutes at best. Uggg.

As it turns out, less constructed play schemes tend to invite longer periods of play. You don’t need to be their cruise ship director. Kids innately know how to play, they just need to be invited.

Open-ended toys are the holy grail. Think building blocks, loose parts, train sets, stuffed animals, art supplies… or best of all- nature! You will be amazed at the games that kids can create in the backyard with a tree branch. Or a neighborhood stream and a boat made of leaves. They will play for hours. Not minutes– hours. Just like we all did before the internet existed…

What’s the Point of A Digital Detox?

Why would anyone in their right mind want to put down the drugs, I mean screens, for an entire day? (Or in our case, from waking until 5:00 pm.)

Screens are an experience blocker. If you are on social media, playing a video game, or watching TV, you are not doing other things. You’re not reading, hiking, enjoying family, exercising, or sleeping!

People are on their phones for an average of 4.8 hours each day. Can you imagine if you spent that same time enjoying friends, writing a book, or learning a musical instrument?

Experience blocking is an especially critical issue for children. Play is the work of childhood, and if they’re watching a screen, they’re not getting the benefits of play. Play promotes self-regulation, independence, critical thinking, emotional well-being, physical development, and so much more.

If you remove screens, children have the time and space for free play. Just make sure not to micromanage them. Remember all of those toys gathering dust in the basement? Now is their chance to actually use them.

In addition to giving kids time to play, it gives us adults room to breathe. Take a break from incessant emails or notifications. If your phone is your only means of communicating with family and friends, feel free to take calls or texts as needed. However, I know from personal experience that it is not going to go well if you tell your children to turn off the iPad and then you stare at your phone all day. The benefits of unplugging apply to you as well.

You’re not doing this as punishment. You’re doing this for the benefits. And after a few weeks, I promise you will crave your Sundays!

Cynthia Dvorak writes the blog ScreenLessPlayMore.com and hosts the Screen Less Play More podcast.