Each year at Kindlehill, we encourage families to embrace ‘Screen Free Week’ leading up to our Winter’s Night. From Sunday the 16^th of June to Sunday the 23^rd of June,why not make the conscious decision to put away the screens? It is tricky, I know, especially when there are days to organise and emails to check. Try keeping these to a minimum, it’s amazing to see that the world keeps turning!! Our children are becoming exposed to screens from an earlier age. Did you know that by the teenage years, up to 40% of a child’s waking time is spent in front of a screen! What?

Here are five reasons why your children would benefit from Screen-Free Week:

1.It gives their brains a break.
2.It helps your family reset priorities and connections.
3.It provides children time to explore other interests.
4. It helps children rediscover what real play is. Even older children need to time to be free and play or create, with their imagination free of external ideas and options.
5. It supplies a reality check and a time to acknowledge how much time we spend on our screens.
GO FOR IT!!

Here are some ideas for those lovely screen free family evenings together:

• Go for a bike ride before dinner or walk the dog
• Play card games, Uno, board games….
• Cook dinner together, have a photo night, read books, make a costume for Winter Magic out of recycled treasures!

For more ideas and support/info have a look at:
www.screenfree.org/
Ideas for different age groups can be found at: www.peacefulhappykids.com

Kirsty Edwards Kindy Garden Teacher

Kirsty has completed Studies of Anthroposophy and Rudolf Steiner Education (Early Childhood) at the Sydney Rudolf Steiner College, and a Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood) from James Cook University. She joined Kindlehill in 2008 as a Kindergarten assistant and has been Kindergarten Teacher since 2013.

“As the Kindergarten teacher, I nurture the young child as they begin their journey at Kindlehill. I enjoy creating an environment that is rich in imagination, beauty and wonder, supporting and guiding the development of the whole child”.