Does your child spend most of their time in front of a smartphone? Do you feel that you are distancing yourself from each other? Banning and restricting access to the phone is not the solution. Plan a special day during which your little one won't even feel the absence of their phone. We suggest what activities you can undertake to avoid using your phone.
Start a day without your phone with a breakfast of champions
Wake up your little one and suggest a trip to the shop together to buy produce for breakfast. Promise that you will make breakfast with whatever ingredients your toddler wants. He or she can put literally anything in the basket, as long as it is used to prepare the meal. Then get involved in the morning cooking together and prepare yummies for the other household members too.
Joint training
After having breakfast together, it's a good idea to get some exercise. Organise a joint warm-up and stretching so that you enter the day full of energy. In addition, with this type of activity you should often work together. This will make you even closer to each other.
What to do without a phone? A dose of culture
After breakfast, it is worth taking your urchin to a cultural institution. In both large cities and smaller towns, there is a rich cultural offer for children. There are usually plays, films or workshops for children in the morning. Keep an eye out for special events for children on any given day. It will be a great time spent together and will further develop the child's curiosity and manual skills.
Time for a snack
After the activities so far, go to a restaurant for dinner together. This is always a big change and a unique experience for the young person. Let her order what she wants.
Get your child away from the phone: A trip to a museum or botanical garden
Take an educational trip together to a museum, botanical garden or other cultural attraction in your area. This is a great opportunity to discover new things together and talk about exhibition-related topics.
- Take a look at the museum's website, if there is one, to find out more about the exhibitions that will be available during your visit.
- Read together a short story or description of the exhibition you are going to visit so that the child has a better understanding of the topic.
- Try to find a museum that offers interactive exhibitions or stations that engage your child's senses, such as tactile displays, simulations or games.
- Encourage your child to ask questions and actively explore the exhibits. Remember that your child may have interesting insights about the exhibits that can lead to fascinating conversations.
- After returning from the museum, talk with your child about what you saw and learned. Encourage your child to share his or her reflections and opinions about the exhibition.
- If your child is interested in a particular topic or exhibit, look for additional materials or books to deepen their understanding and interest.
Picnic and fun together in the garden
To start with, prepare a picnic basket together with your child, including favourite snacks and drinks. You can choose everything you will eat together. Encourage your child to help pack the basket, so they feel involved and take an active part in the preparations. Lay out a blanket on the grass in your chosen spot in the garden.
Prepare a variety of outdoor games and activities that are age-appropriate for your child. If you have playground in the garden you can use it. Domestic playground with a sandpit or swing can allow you all to participate in the fun. On the other hand, it can also be frisbee, badminton, football or even bouncy ball games. You can also organise games of skill, such as a target throw or a skipping competition.
After the games and creative activities, encourage your child to relax on a blanket and observe the surrounding nature. You can talk together about birds, flowers, trees and other elements of nature that you notice around you.
Swap the screen for board games
Choose a board game that is suitable for the age and interests of all participants. It could be a classic board game, a strategy board game, an adventure game or a simple card game. You can also choose games that you already have at home, or look for new games that may be of interest to the whole family. Create a comfortable place to play, such as at the living room table or on a rug with cushions for added comfort. Prepare tasty snacks too, so you won't go hungry. Then start the game, sticking to the rules and respecting the other players' decisions. You can also prepare small prizes for the winners, which can reinforce healthy competition between participants.
Reading together
After an active day, get ready for bed. Then choose a favourite book with your child and read it together until your little one falls asleep after an eventful day.
A day prepared in this way will ensure that your child will not be bored and will not even think of taking out his or her phone. Instead, he or she will experience valuable adventures that will develop family relationships, stimulate curiosity about the world and teach new skills.
