Are you living in Chandler, AZ and planning to throw a toddler birthday party, but you’re worried about reaching for your phone as soon as the kids get restless? Sure, that is a popular way to keep them occupied, but many parents are worried about the negative effects.
With children’s attention spans getting shorter by the day, it’s hard to imagine an activity that will keep your kid as entertained as the infamous screen does. Not to worry— read on for useful tips for reducing children’s screen time and ideas for a screen-free event your kid and their friends will love.
How do I get my kids to spend less time on screens?
In this day and age, everyone is glued to their phone, so it might be unfair to expect your toddler not to get fussy when screen time is over. If you want to use your phone or tablet only as a last resort, you need to get creative and be consistent.
Here are some ideas for when your little one needs to be distracted or entertained.
Always keep it moving
One of the ways to make your toddler forget all about your phone or the TV is to make sure they are physically active—in a fun way, of course. Activities and toys that promote physical play are crucial in a toddler’s development. You can try:
- Dancing
- Climbing
- Running and racing
- Playing sports, such as basketball or soccer
All those activities and more are perfect for quality time with the family, especially around early spring holidays and birthdays.
Practice what you preach
You can’t expect your child not to scream bloody murder and reach their little arms for your phone if you’re using it in front of them. To keep your kid’s screen time low, you have to do the same—at least when they’re in the room.
Once your child sees that you’re having fun with no screens around—with an interactive toy or during story time—they’ll be more present and less likely to get bored and demand you-know-what.
To practice what you preach, you should:
- Put away your phone, tablet, and laptop before play time starts
- Go outside if there are no screen-free rooms in your house or apartment
- Join the game your toddler is playing or be an active audience (not filming them or mindlessly scrolling)
How much time should a child spend in front of a screen?
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) suggests no more than one hour of screen time per day for toddlers. If, at the end of the day, you have no idea how much time your kid spent watching TV or using your phone because you had so many fires to put out, we have a solution.
Start planning screen time. In case there’s a 20-minute cartoon your kid cannot skip, then you need to make sure other screen activities add up to no more than 40 minutes.
If you’re organizing a kids’ party, you should also keep this in mind and choose the venue and the activities accordingly.
The best screen-free toddler birthday party in Chandler, AZ
When spring has sprung, you may be tempted to throw a spring-themed birthday bash and have it outside at Tumbleweed Park, for example. Although this is a fine idea, it could include a ton of planning and prep on your end as you’ll need to come up with activities and a plan B just in case.
For a hassle-free birthday party, go for Uptown Jungle! With a wide selection of attractions and low prices, it’s the best of both worlds. The birthday boy or girl and their guests will enjoy the super slides, climbing walls, obstacle courses, and more, making screen time a thing of the past. There’s something for everyone, including the parents, thanks to the adult lounge.
It’s a whole new world at the Uptown Jungle—Enter FUN. Exit SCREENS.