Creative Ideas to Mitigate Kids’ Screen Time This Summer: Part Two

By Casie Caldwell, Director of Business Development, The Menta Education Group

In Part One of this series, we explored five creative ways to spark your child’s imagination and connection beyond the digital realm. This second installment delves further into five more strategies to empower your child with discovering new passions, developing essential skills, and building lasting memories.

Cultivating Skills and Passions

1. Empower With Music and Movement

   Music has a profound impact on the development of a child, reinforcing cognitive function and language, motor skills, and emotional well-being. Introduce your child to a variety of musical genres, from jazz to rock to folk, and observe their reactions. Encourage them to dance freely to the rhythm, to express themselves through movement and improvisation. Provide age-appropriate instruments like shakers, tambourines, or keyboards for them to explore sounds and to create their own melodies. If they show a particular interest, consider enrolling them in music lessons at a local music school, or enlist them in a community children’s choir where they can collaborate with other young musicians. Music provides a fun and engaging way to learn, express themselves, and connect with others on a deeper level.

2. Build and Create With STEAM Activities

   Science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics (STEAM) activities offer endless opportunities for exploration and discovery. Engage your child in hands-on experiments that spark curiosity and wonder, such as building a volcano with baking soda and vinegar or creating a rainbow with prisms and sunlight. Encourage them to build structures with blocks or LEGOs, to nurture spatial reasoning and to strengthen their problem-solving skills. Introduce them to the basics of mathematics through age-appropriate games and apps, or challenge them to design and launch paper rockets, applying principles of physics and aerodynamics. Encourage artistic expression by incorporating art projects into STEAM activities, such as designing and painting model rockets or creating colorful patterns with circuits and LEDs. Check around your community to discover a local STEAM community, hopefully with numerous resources and programs available for children of all ages, perhaps in a local museum, as a parks and recreation program, or perhaps as an offering from your local school district.

3. Cook Up a Smorgasbord in the Kitchen

   Cooking is a valuable life skill that teaches children about nutrition, measurement, following instructions, and the joy of creating delicious meals. Involve your child in every step of the culinary process, from planning a weekly menu to selecting fresh ingredients at the farmers market in your town. Let them measure ingredients with colorful measuring cups, mix batters with a hand mixer or whisk, chop vegetables with a child-safe knife, and decorate desserts with sprinkles, frosting, and edible flowers. Cooking together reduces screen time, but more importantly it strengthens family bonds, promotes healthy eating habits, and empowers your child with essential skills for independence and self-sufficiency.

4. Volunteer and Give Back to the Community

   Engaging in community service teaches children compassion, empathy, and the importance of contributing to society. Find volunteer opportunities in your town or a local senior care home that align with the interests of your child, such as helping to care for small animals at the ASPCA, serving meals to those in need at a shelter, or participating in community cleanup events organized by your city. Volunteering not only reduces screen time, it also instills in your child a sense of purpose, builds self-esteem, and strengthens community connections. It allows your child to see the world from a different perspective, to develop a sense of social responsibility, and to make a positive impact on the lives of others.

5. Embrace the Power of Storytelling

   Storytelling is a universal human tradition that has captivated audiences for centuries. Encourage your child to create their own stories, either through writing in a journal, drawing colorful illustrations, or acting out scenes with puppets or costumes. Provide prompts, such as “Once upon a time, in a land far far away…” or “The day I met a monster crying on the sidewalk…”, to spark their imagination. You can even create a family storytelling tradition, in which each member takes turns sharing tales around the campfire during a camping trip in a local state or county park, or even the backyard, or just before bedtime in the comfort of your own home. Storytelling enhances language skills, creativity, and emotional intelligence while fostering a deeper understanding of human experiences, perspectives, and emotions.

By implementing the 10 creative strategies outlined in this two-part series, you can help your child discover a world of possibilities beyond the digital screen. Remember, the goal is not to eliminate screen time entirely. The real purpose is to create a healthy balance between digital engagement and real-world experiences—because it is important to understand how to navigate the digital world in these technological times.

The Menta Education Group is dedicated to supporting families on their journeys to nurturing and activating the full potential of their children. We offer a range of resources, programs, and individualized support to help at-risk children and those with special needs thrive in all areas of life. Contact us today to learn more about how we can partner with you to create a brighter future for your child.