In so many ways, we are more dependent on digital

technologies than ever. Families across the globe have

had to loosen their screen time rules just to get through

the week. Whether we like it or not, digital devices are

everywhere. Some of us can barely put them down, even

when we’re with cherished family and friends. While

these devices can enhance learning and build

community, they can also interfere with everything from

sleep to creativity. 

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It’s time to rediscover everything you’re missing when you’re connected to your screens. Here are some fun ideas for your family to ZoomOut, unplug, and create memories with your family. Below you'll learn about National Screen-Free Week, discover activities to do as a family, and record your memories in an adventure journal to keep for years to come. 

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NATIONAL SCREEN-FREE WEEK

Screen Free Week is the first week of May, but you and your family can take a break from screens anytime. This annual, international screen free initiative was created in 1994 to encourage families, schools, and communities to embrace screen-free entertainment for a week.

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There is a reason Screen Free Week has grown immensely since its inception in 1994. More and more parents realize the importance of reducing screen time and one week is a reasonable amount of time to attempt it. Research shows that reduced screen time is indicated in better health and well-being, particularly before the age of 6. It can be eye-opening for kids and parents alike to realize just how much you can accomplish with the spare time that becomes available by going screen-free. 

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HISTORY​

In 1994 when Henry Labalme and Matt Pawa came up with the idea of a national organization to reduce the screen-time habit, few believed it was a problem at all. Television was considered harmless and a great babysitter. Perhaps improving some of the programs was a good idea, but reducing television time? Ridiculous! Others admitted that Americans could do with a little less TV. But TV is here to stay, they maintained, so why bother tilting at windmills? But Henry, Matt and a few others ignored the skeptics. Now, many years later, Screen-Free Week (formerly TV-Turnoff) is continuing to have a deep and lasting impact around the world. As preparations got underway for the very first Turnoff, no one could have guessed what would happen in the ensuing years. That first year, nine organizations lent their official support to the Week, and a couple thousand organizers around the nation brought the event to a million or so people. It might not have been an earth-shattering event, but it was a great start and prelude to the years to come. Each successive Turnoff grew. New organizers signed up to help out. New organizations supported the event. Major health groups like the American Academy of Pediatrics and American Medical Association, education groups like the National Education Association, and civic groups like Big Brothers/Big Sisters lent their voices to the chorus.

 

The media began to pay attention, and coverage in publications like Parade Magazine and on hundreds of radio stations spread the word even farther. Since that first year, the number of Turnoff Week organizers grew more than eight-fold, with millions more participating annually. Any way you look at it, it’s clear that the skeptics were wrong. Reducing children’s screen time has become a national concern, with regular stories in major news outlets and support from President Obama and the White House Task Force on Childhood Obesity. Now, at Henry and Matt’s request, Screen-Free Week has a new life as a program of the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood. Together, we can help children and adults “power down” their screens and rev up their involvement in life! We’re looking forward to Screen-Free Weeks for years to come.

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Going screen-free for a day may sound simple, but it's more challenging than you think because we rely on our devices more than we think! Even while you're doing activities that are screen-free on the surface, your devices are probably with you. We rely on them to communicate where we are, to check the weather, and so much more. While planning your screen-free day, you should include enough time for everyone to have completed their necessary screen-based activities in advance. Whether kids are doing remote learning, parents are on a work deadline, or simply letting others know that you're going screen-free make sure you plan that time before embarking on your screen-free adventure!

 

OTHER TIPS & TRICKS

• Early in the week, have a family meeting to plan your screen-free day. Make sure to plan an abundance of activities so you are not left twiddling your thumbs. If your family is going on a hike or bike ride, bring simple games (like a deck of cards or a frisbee) to play during down-time. 

• Designate one person's phone to be the device used to take photos and for emergency calls only. Make sure to silence all other notifications to avoid all temptations to open apps.

• Consider placing all phones in a hidden location at home to leave them for the day.

• Reclaim family meal as a time for talking together and/or sharing stories. Plan your meals ahead of time and include the entire family (when possible) in the preparation and presentation of the meal. Get creative with napkin folding. Are you going to use candles one night to make that dinner special? Think of different ways to spice up the evening…maybe a discussion about a book everyone in the family has agreed to read? 

• At the conclusion of your screen-free day, talk about how everyone feels after your adventures! The key is to find out how everyone feels, and share the pluses and minuses—both to figure out how to make your next screen-free day even better.

• At the conclusion of your screen free day, plan a movie night as a celebration of your screen-free day. 

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Take your Scout Handbook with you on your adventures, you never know what you might be able to complete!