At Voxblock we have created a screen-free audiobook player, but you may be wondering ‘why would my child need such a thing?’. We believe in a world full of screens, internet and data there should still be simpler options available when it's time to take a break.
There are many benefits to introducing screen-free time to your child’s schedule. In this blog post we aim to tell you what these benefits are and how you can implement screen-free time.
The benefits of screen-free time
Improved sleep
Excessive screen time can cause us to feel more tired, and this is heightened when it comes to children (National Childbirth Trust, 2019). It can also decrease motivation and productivity leading to more nap times and low moods. You may find your child is needing longer or increased nap times which as result causes restless sleep during the night. So reducing screen time particularly closer to bedtime can help improve sleep quality.
Connectivity and communication
At a crucial time for social development, too much screen time can damage communication skills due to a lack of focus (Panjeti-Maden and Ranganathan, 2023). We are all guilty of spending too much time in front of screens, and proactively reducing time as a family and partaking in more activities away from screens could help children connect and communicate more effectively.
Learning and literacy
There are some benefits to children learning from screens especially through educational content and reading. However, there are still ways to introduce additional learning away from screens. This is one of our values here at Voxblock, to help improve literacy skills by providing an additional resource through our screen-free audiobook player. It creates a fun and engaging way to engage learning away from a screen, and because of this we proudly distribute our devices to schools.
How to introduce screen-free time
Set screen-free times
One way to introduce screen free time and build new habits is to set times throughout the day or week where no screens are allowed. This is a great way to introduce play-time, outdoor time and time spent with the family. Setting these limits will help set new routines and habits that will eventually just become normal for your child.
Screen-free spaces
Another great way to introduce screen free time is to create spaces within the home that are completely screen free. This could be the bedroom so that you are creating a calm and relaxing environment for your child. Another could be the dining table, if you usually sit as a family for dinner but find yourself having to put on the TV or bring out the tablets to deal with restless children.
Play-time
Play-time without a screen has positive effects on your child’s development as it encourages more play with toys, crafts etc that will build your child’s imagination and communication skills. Putting on music or playing an audiobook during play-time can add to your child’s experience and effectively learn while playing.
Although there are still advantages to using screens at any age. In a time where screens are everywhere it is important now more than ever to consider how often your child spends in front of a screen. As discussed in this post there are many ways to encourage screen-free time with your child, its all about encouraging new habits and routines.
We believe that Voxblock can help children reduce their screen-time, opening up a world of stories and imagination!
