Here is the place to post your ideas for family projects and screen-free ideas for Turn Off week. Any suggestions you have for other parents on how to get away from the screens, to turn off the tube, to say “no” to the dvds and DS in the car etc., can be posted here. (Click on “comments” below).
Speaking from my own experience, once the tv is turned off, the kids really stop asking for it. It simply isn’t a part of our lives anymore. And they find other ways to entertain themselves and each other. Don’t get me wrong, there are times when a little mindless tube-time would really help me out in terms of keeping them quiet and not at each other for a little while. But I do find that a little from me in terms of getting the kids set up with something can go a long way–especially to buy me that last 45-minutes or so to get dinner on the table.
When you post your ideas, let folks know the ages of the kids that your idea is geared toward at the beginning, i.e. For kids ages 2 to 6, so we know who our audience is.
Please also post your family’s ideas for the week’s Turn Off Family Project. The possibilities are endless!
Looking forward to reading about your creative strategies!
I agree that once you let the TV slip out of the kids’ routine that they won’t whine too badly for it.
My wife and daughter are doing a lot of baking this week. The first result was a big hit at nursery school snack time today.
Please excuse the fact that the cream puffs were designed to look like Totoro, a movie character. Trust me — if Kids Unplugged had an Official Movie, it would definitely be My Neighbor Totoro.
I’m trying to keep everyone outside as much as possible. It’s fun to watch the plants wake from their winter sleep. My daughter has a great memory for identifying plants and I think by week’s end she’ll know the whole backyard (including a few botanical names). With the warmer weather we’ll be in the Rockefeller Preserve (hopefully) every day and she can start learning up there.
No kid TV time at all so far this week, and just a little computer time to look at photos for a school project.