With the energy of social media providing coaching and reminders, you may already know this is international Screen-Free Week. It’s an annual celebration to expose communities and perhaps more importantly parents, grandparents and children of the possibilities for fun beyond the screen. It’s a nine-day segment of the calendar year devoted to the concept of life unplugged.
The Lonely Planet Travel Book offers a delightful way for kids to discover facts about the world, dream of new places and imagine adventures.
The idea is to engage in non-commercial, non-digital entertainment allowing free time for playing, reading, daydreaming, creating, exploring, and connecting with each other, no mouse or channel changer needed.
But why stop at one week a year? Why not establish your own screen-free family traditions and make them part of your family culture.
How about a screen-free family vacation? The extra value of creating a screen-free family vacation loaded with non-commercial activities cannot be measured in dollars and cents because many of the best things to do with kids are free. The value of any family experience is increased when electronic tethers disappear. Screen-free family vacations mean less distractions and more possibilities for sharing quality time with your kids doing things rather than watching someone else have all of the fun.
When activities happen in real time the uniqueness and the memory value multiplies tenfold yielding one-of-a-kind memories. From sharing a book together or listening to storyteller to stargazing or counting tadpoles in a brook, living in the moment and learning to imagine takes practice for all ages. There is no app needed for whitewater rafting or ziplining, canoeing or horseback riding, beach combing or cloud stories. On a family vacation, screen-free family fun is limitless.
Our Green Spots folder offers oodles of ways to break free with your kids.
I am logging off now because everyone needs screen-free time every day.
Nancy Nelson-Duac, Curator of the Good Stuff for the Family Travel Files.
Family Travel Files: The Blog 