How to Limit Phone and Television Exposure for Kids

Blog Submitted By Bhavya Gandhi

Photo by stem.T4L on Unsplash

In todays world where most families are turning into Nuclear families, limiting the exposure to Television and cell phones have become a difficult task.

As a mother of 2 Toddler’s who are hyperactive I face this challenge daily ,which is why I have to keep a few tricks up my sleeves to manage their kids energy.

 Below I have mentioned a few tips which I use

1. Opt for Audio over Video

If you are expecting a child or have a young one at home ,it is best advised not to expose your kids to Visual media as much as 6 to 8 months, You can try to engage them with playing music or rhymes in the Audio system while they play with their toys , this way the sounds and rhythm keep them entertained and engaged in their playtime.

2. They Learn What they See 

Kids are super smart and observant about things and human behaviour around them, if they constantly see the adults in the house hooked to Television or phones they will also want to explore the same, so the best way keep them away is to limit the time you spend on phone and television around kids.

3. Educational Toys

There are numerous toys available in the market which are not only fun to play but are also very educational, you could always take their inputs by showing them a Youtube demo of the toy so that they feel its their decision which makes it more likely for them to play with it more. Here are some educational toys for your little ones.

4. Introduce Books Early

I love to read and when my kids were just 6 months I started introducing books to them. There are various types of books available according to the age groups, read it out to them and show all the beautiful pictures and colours on the books, with time it will also become a habit for them to read .

5. Spend time with them

This is the most important thing you need to do with your child, try and keep atleast 1 hour with you kids on a daily basis.They love to spend time with you, engage them in different activities like peek a boo, role play ,board games etc

6. Talk to them

These little ones love to talk bout everything, Talk to them about how their day was, what all did they do or if they learned something new. Talking to them will not only help you know your child better it will also make communication better with them as they grow up.

7. Engage them in house work 

By this I don’t mean to make them do the heavy lifting but small task like keeping the dishes on the table, helping in cleaning up, help re arrange toys after playing , etc. When they help and you praise and appreciate their efforts it builds there confidence and adds to their joy. Here are some pretend toys your little one can play with and learn before getting into real house chores.

8. Do not eat when television is on

This is a big No, never have your meals while watching television or when surfing through your cellphone, If kids regularly see you doing this they will also insist on watching there favourite cartoon while eating and once this becomes a habit it will be very difficult to stop.

9. Encourage them to have a hobby

My daughter loves to dance and do art and craft ,hence I take her to classes where she can learn more about her hobbies and enjoy what she does. They all need some time to enjoy the things they love to do. In these times, we rely on online classes and there are so many options!

Some influence of digital world is necessary for kids to cope up with today's lifestyle but over exposure is very harmful for these young minds. Try these tips with your kids and let us know your thoughts.

Click here to know more about how not to be a distracted parent.

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Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this post are the personal views of the author. They do not necessarily reflect the views of The Mom Store

Bhavya is a stock broker for over 10 years now is a mother of 2 Toddler's enjoying her new challenge called Motherhood! She enjoys blogging in her free time and sharing her experiences with fellow mommies!