Children’s Use Of Media & Device-Free Family Activities

It’s winter break at Sanderling Waldorf School, a time when families gather to celebrate the holidays, enjoying lots of healthy down-time. Many people might envision students sleeping in and enjoying late breakfasts together, and cozying up on the sofa, possibly with a parent reading a book that will expand their thinking and enrich their soul. However, this ideal vision of a calm, healthy, loving and enriching children’s experience is all too quickly shattered when considering the reality of how many of us give in to the temptation of filling our down time with media. In today’s society, many of us have become desensitized and a little less cognizant of the pitfalls of media use, or may even think it’s harmless. But, experienced teachers will tell you quite the opposite. This is what two Sanderling teachers had to say about what they have seen in the classroom with children who use media. One described the unfortunate effects in this way:

Watching TV and viewing video and/or computer images stimulates the nervous systems and stimulates the brain. And, in the young child, when the brain is active it is always associated with movement because everything is very kinetic for the young child. A lot of overstimulation makes them very restless physically because they have no way of digesting these images and pushing them aside as an adult does. Their body movements become very restless and agitated. As teachers, we see the effects of media watching in the way they sit in class, they can’t sit still, they shake it out.

When asked what kinds of device-free activities parents can help children stay occupied with, the teacher offered the following:

I recommend outings in nature, so they get physically tired. Try to establish a rhythm every single day. Have them play outside in the yard. Meet a friend at the park. Do a story time in the evenings, perhaps a little bit of baking, lots of hands-on activities, and any kind of craft.

Another teacher contributed to the discussion:

Today’s parents often feel like they have to entertain the children 24/7. Generations ago, parents would send children off to play outside – and they would then creatively come up with their own games, their own magical worlds, finding things to play with, going outside and making things in nature. Today children have to be entertained and often claim they are bored. But, actually, boredom is a gateway to invention, to creativity. Children have an intuition, and allowing the child’s intuition leads them towards that creativity. We have to step away and allow children to be bored so their creativity can blossom.

It is important to note that these teachers’ observations are supported by a plethora of research. So, while it may be tempting to give in to media use, it really is in children’s best interest to identify replacement activities that will benefit their development, instead of hindering it. Below are two links that we hope you’ll find useful from the Association of Waldorf Schools of North America (AWSNA). One features fun and enriching device-free activities for the family, and the other describes the impact of media on a child’s development. We hope you will find these great resources useful in your own family!

CLICK HERE to view DEVICE-FREE ACTIVITIES FOR THE FAMILY

CLICK HERE read about THE IMPACT OF MEDIA ON A CHILD’S DEVELOPMENT