How to Balance Kids Screen Time with Exercise

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Kids Screen Time is a widely debated topic with so many factors and opinions coming into play.

 

For us it has always been really simple when it comes to TV or the iPad at home: Moderation.

Moderation and – more relevant today than when I was a child as there is more choice – Quality… 

By quality I don’t mean it has to be animal planet – it just has NOT to be evil, or silly, or violent…

 

Screen Time Moderation and Quality

 

When I was a child (10) during the week I was allowed to watch 1 program a day – and I remember on Monday Nights saving my TV time for 7pm – to watch The A Team! Oh Man, I loved that program!! The A Team and then later on MacGyver!

TV now days has changed – TV only started at about 5pm when I was little… There was no such thing as 24 hour programming, and kids TV consisted of a few programs!! That’s IT!!

Today with the ‘eat as much as you like buffet’ of TV channels for kids, there is no limit to what and how and when – especially when things like Netflix mean you don’t have to sit all day waiting for The A Team to start!!

 

personally feel that the worst thing TV does to our children – and ourselves, is it encourages us to sit, while we should be moving!!

‘Earning’ Screen time vouchers are a really great way of balancing things out a bit.

The TV or iPad does not become this endless source of entertainment – and screen time vouchers ensure that at some point your ‘kids credit’ is going to run out!!

Quote - I personally feel that the worst thing TV does to our children - and ourselves is it encourages us to sit while we should be moving

How to earn SCREEN TIME VOUCHERS!!

Up to you to decide how your children can earn screen minutes: my suggestions include:

Doing chores around the house – things that are perhaps over and above what is expected as part of a normal daily routine – like washing the car, or mowing the lawn or cleaning the gutters…

BIG SCREEN TIME EARNING POTENTIAL comes from moving and exercising… This is how I balance out sitting on our bum vs moving and shaking!!

For example:

  • For every minute you ride your bike, you earn a minute of screen time…
  • A tennis game on Saturday Morning = 60 minutes of screen time
  • Playing outside all afternoon = 30 minutes of EXTRA TV on the weekend…

As parents we need to include exercise into our daily lives, as something fun – rather than a chore – so use these vouchers wisely…

These vouchers will help BIG TIME when you have to say NO.

It is as simple as, “do you have any screen time minutes left?’

Apply Voucher ‘Cash in Rules’: for example…

Before school in the mornings is a NO TV time in our house…

Sunny weather – we play outside…

There can be times when TV is allowed – without vouchers – like when you need to cook dinner, and  then there can be voucher time – when the kids get to choose!

Perhaps these vouchers only apply during the week – or weekend…

You know your household best, and you know your children better than anyone, you apply the rules!

How to balance kids screen time with exercise

 

I have included 3 different sets of vouchers and corresponding “How to Earn” sheets for you to download…

They are free to download, please only use them for personal use though.

SCREEN TIME VOUCHERS – COLOR & PATTERNS… CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD

Screen Time Vouchers Color

SCREEN TIME VOUCHERS – BASIC… CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD

Screen Time Vouchers Basic

SCREEN TIME VOUCHERS – LINES & COLORS… CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD

Screen Time Vouchers Arty

 

Hope the vouchers help!

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Free Printable Screen Time Vouchers. How to balance screen time with exercise

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