Screen free week 2018

The week of April 30th is screen free week.  Families, schools, and organizations across the country are turning off their tvs, computers, tablets, and phones.  Instead, they will be reconnecting with their family. Many are taking this time as a reboot. A time to rest, reflect, and reevaluate  what is important in their lives.

Why is screen free week important?

Many parents are worried that their child's screen time.  In a recent poll, 45 percent of children 5 and under had their own tablets. 70 percent of families had a tablet that there child could play on. The number of children that have their own electronic device increases as the children get older.

Electronic dependency is a real thing, and it could affect a child badly. One effect is that it keeps the child up at night. The light from electronic screens messes with the brain and prevents the release of melatonin. A chemical that helps make us sleepy.
The electronic devices also send dopamine to your brain. This is a chemical that makes us feel nice and happy. A child may come back again and again to their devices to get this feeling.

 30 Activities to do during the screen free week.

Here is a list of things that you can do instead of playing on a device.

1) Explore the library
2) Have a family book club where you all discuss the same book
3) Explore a local museum
4) Color, draw, or paint
5) Have an art gallery where your children show off something they made
6) Have a talent show where the children show off a talent
7) Have a board game tournament
8) Use the random dice, game pieces, of games that are lost and create a new game.
9) Have a picnic at the park
10) Go on a spring scavenger hunt, where you find spring items such as flowers, robins, and clovers
11) take pictures
12) make a scrapbook
13) go bird watching
14) go on a bug safari and see how many bugs you can find
15) go on a walk around your neighborhood
16) make cards for your neighbors or other important people in your life thanking them
17) think of random acts of kindness that you can do
18) volunteer at a nursing home or animal shelter
19) walk your dog or a neighbors
20) go on a hike
21) ride bikes or roller skate
22) go bowling
23) make a backyard obstacle course
24) go camping
25) see how many stars you can name at night
26) tell spooky stories with a flashlight or candle
27) make a puppet show
28) cook together as a family
29) learn a new skill or hobby
30)create a fort, theater, robot, whatever out of old boxes.

What to do after screen free week is over

The American Pediatric Association recommends that younger children only get an hour of screen time a day. Of course, it's only a recommendation. You need to figure out where and when to fit screen time into your day, so your child can still play and explore the world beyond the screen. For some they narrow screen time down till a certain time of day, or a few hours. Others have certain days when the screens go off. You could do a combination of these. Whatever works best for your family.

Bird's nest

It's spring.  My older children are learning zoology this year. I thought since we were on the subject of birds it would be the perfect t time to build a bird's nest.  We set out on the coldest day in spring. It was time for plan two.

I took some hay that  we use to feed the rabbits, and made a bit of paste for the mud. We made next in the house, and though it didn't all go to plan the kids had fun. Sometimes in homeschool you have to improvise

Letter E worksheets

Today I wanted to share with you a pack of worksheets that I have created to help your child identify, write and learn the vowel sound of the letter E. These worksheets go with the E story that I have created. You can watch the story below.

This worksheet packet includes E tracer sheets, animals that start with e, and other fun activities to do to learn about this letter. To get the worksheet pack click here