It is eleven o'clock in the morning. No school, no schedule, no obligations. And within fifteen minutes, your child is on the tablet again. Sound familiar? Summer vacation brings wonderful freedom, but that same freedom also makes it more difficult to maintain a healthy rhythm regarding screen time.
Many parents notice that screen use naturally increases during the holidays. There is no school day to structure the rhythm, the weather doesn't always cooperate, and after a while, "doing something" just becomes that phone or tablet again. That is not a failure as a parent. It is a logical consequence of less structure and more free time.
The challenge, therefore, is not that children find screens too fun. The challenge is having equally attractive alternatives within reach. Below are five practical tips you can apply today.
1. Give the day a loose structure
Children have less guidance during the holidays than during the school year. Without a clear daily routine, a screen quickly becomes the default activity, simply because there is nothing else "at hand".
You don't need to create a rigid schedule. A loose structure is enough:
- Morning: an activity that requires attention and concentration (building, drawing, reading)
- Afternoon: playing outside or exercising
- Evening: a quiet moment, possibly with a screen
This layout gives children a sense of predictability, without it feeling like a school schedule.
2. Keep materials visible and within reach
Children often choose the activity that is most easily accessible. A tablet is usually on the table, charged and ready for immediate use. Building materials, paints, or a model kit, on the other hand, are often tucked away in a cupboard.
Make alternative activities just as accessible. Simply place a bin of building blocks, an art box, or a challenging game on the table. The lower the threshold to start, the greater the chance that a child will choose it themselves.
3. Choose activities where children make something themselves
Research into child development consistently shows that active, independent engagement contributes to concentration and problem-solving skills. Children who build, design, or investigate something themselves often remain engaged longer than with passive entertainment.
Think of activities where a child:
- builds something that actually works, such as a small machine or construction
- achieves a result they can be proud of
- is allowed to make mistakes and try again
That feeling of "I made this myself" is often just as satisfying as scoring in a game, only more lasting.
4. Make screen time a conscious choice, not a reflex
Screen time doesn't have to be forbidden to stay healthy. It helps to make screen time a conscious moment rather than an automatic reflex when bored.
A simple approach: agree with your child when the screen can be turned on, for example after lunch or at the end of the afternoon. This way, screen time becomes something to look forward to, rather than an escape route as soon as there is nothing to do.
5. Involve your child in planning the day
Children who participate in thinking about their own day are often more enthusiastic about actually carrying it out. Simply ask: "What do you want to make or do today?" Let them choose from two or three options you have already prepared.
This small degree of input significantly increases motivation, and saves you from negotiating as soon as the subject of screens comes up.
Small steps, big difference
Avoiding screen time completely during the summer holidays is not realistic for most families, and it doesn't have to be. It's about finding a healthy balance where screens are a conscious choice, not the only option.
By providing structure, putting alternatives within reach, and letting children create things themselves, you will soon discover that boredom is often the first step toward creativity. Children who independently build, experiment, and discover simply have less need for a screen.
Looking for activities that allow your child to build and discover independently this summer, screen-free? Every month, Zappie delivers a box full of hands-on projects that allow children aged 5 to 9 to learn how to make something themselves, from a working hydraulic arm to their own kaleidoscope.
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