Here are some ideas of things to do instead of screens with your child. Remember that in order for your child to be off screens, you need to be willing to be off your screens too!
Talk with your child. If your child is only giving you one-word responses, try asking more specific questions (like “who did you eat lunch with”) instead of open-ended questions (like “how was your day?”).
Sing songs
Read a book
Play with your child’s favorite toy
Color a picture
Make a craft project
Play in the yard
Go for a walk
Take your child to a park
Go for a car ride and talk about what you see
Go to the library and look for books on a topic that interests your child
Play a board game
Teach your child a new skill
Teach or practice a sport in the back yard
Ride bikes
Go somewhere with an indoor play-place
Call up some friends and have a play date
Cook something in the kitchen together
Plant seeds or plants in a garden
Do a family service project together, like helping an elderly neighbor with house work
Playing with your child is one of the best thing you can do in order to promote growth in ALL domains of child development! It promotes communication development, social and emotional growth, improved cognitive skills, better gross and fine motor skills, as well as improved adaptive/self-help skills. WOW! So much growth just by playing with your child. It can be simple and fun, and I recommend 1 or 2 15-minute sessions a day if possible, of undivided attention to playing with your child (no screens on, don't look at your phone, etc). Follow their lead! Here is a quick video and some AWESOME resources to check out to help guide you. This is seriously SO MUCH FUN! Each of your kiddos is amazing and I miss playing with them so much.
Please see the links below for additional resources and information about how to read to your child in a way that really promotes language development!
Here is a video explaining the first skill I want to share with you. Below I've also included some tips of what to talk about from ASHA (The American Speech-Language Hearing Association).
Speak clearly to your child. Model good speech.
Repeat what your child says to show that you understand. Add on to what she says. Use words like, "Want juice? I have juice. I have apple juice. Do you want apple juice?"
It's okay to use baby talk sometimes. Be sure to use the adult word too. For example, "It is time for din-din. We will have dinner now."
Cut out pictures of favorite or familiar things. Put them into categories, like things to ride on, things to eat, and things to play with. Make silly pictures by mixing and matching pictures. Glue a picture of a dog behind the wheel of a car. Talk about what is wrong with the picture and ways to "fix" it.
Help your child understand and ask questions. Play the yes–no game. Ask questions such as, "Are you Marty?" and "Can a pig fly?" Have your child make up questions and try to fool you.
Ask questions that include a choice. "Do you want an apple or an orange?" "Do you want to wear your red shirt or your blue shirt?"
Help your child learn new words. Name body parts, and talk about what you do with them. "This is my nose. I can smell flowers, brownies, and soap."
Sing simple songs, and say nursery rhymes. This helps your child learn the rhythm of speech.
Place familiar objects in a box. Have your child take one out and tell you its name and how to use it. "This is my ball. I bounce it. I play with it."
Show pictures of familiar people and places. Talk about who they are and what happened. Try making up new stories.
