Did you know, in the UK, the average child now logs over six hours of recreational screen time every single day?
Even children think that’s too much! According to Ofcom, over a third of eight- to 17-year-olds say they want to cut down on screen time.
So with summer looming – and (we hope) some great weather in store – here are our tips on how to get away from phones and tablets this holiday. In fact, if you want to reach for a screen, make that ‘sunscreen’!
1. Become an Author-Illustrator: Build a Real Book
We hope children will read lots and lots of books this summer. But why not go one step further? Don’t just read stories – write and design them! Youngsters can spend days building their very own physical book from scratch.
Step one – write a short story, a comic strip, or even compile a summer nature journal.
Step two – create illustrations. This is our favourite part! Children can use any medium – collages, paint, felt tips, crayons. Why not check out the fabulous drawings from our very own Sarah for inspiration?
Step three – put the book together. Grab some thick card, coloured paper, and string. Fold the pages together and use a simple needle stitch or a hole punch and ribbon to bind the spine.
2. Host an Outdoor ‘Read-In’
Reading and sketching don’t have to be solitary activities. When the weather behaves, take the creativity outside.
Set up a blanket in the garden, pile it high with cushions, and pack a picnic. You can invite friends over for a ‘reading picnic’ where everyone brings their favourite book or sketchbook, or takes turns reading chapters aloud. It’s a great communal activity, and being outside in nature is the perfect setting.
3. The Great Graphic Hunt!
Illustration and design are everywhere. Why not help children to see the art in everyday life by turning a simple walk around the neighbourhood into a graphic design hunt?
Give them a sketchbook and a pencil, and challenge them to find inspiration out in the wild:
- A hand-painted font on a local shopfront.
- An unusual colour combination on a food wrapper.
- Letters formed naturally by branches or architecture.
They can sketch what they see or collect interesting flyers and packaging to create a visual mood board later. It’s a brilliant way to learn how to pay attention to the world around you.
4. Design an Epic Reading Corner
Youngsters love building dens, so why not take this idea a step further and challenge them to design the ultimate reading nook?
They can use chairs, clothes-pegs, fairy lights, blankets and duvets to build a secret hideout. But it must be a screen-free zone. Fill the den with comics, books, sketchpads, and a plate of snacks. Once they’re tucked away inside their own custom-built creation, they won’t even think about checking a screen.
We hope this gives you and your youngsters some inspiration this summer. By swapping screen time for page-turning and pencil-sketching, you’ll be helping them let their imagination run wild.
If you have any ideas of your own for a screen-free summer, we’d love to hear from you – why not get in touch? Happy summer, and happy making!
