This will be our fourth year of participation in Screen Free Week and it's now just an annual event in our home; like Shark Week or setting up the leprechaun trap on Saint Patrick's day. The kids know what Screen Free Week means, it's presence is included in our family yearbook holiday pages, and just like most traditions - we look forward to its' arrival.
Screen Free Week is our official yearly reboot when it comes to reflecting on each of our own screen dependency and ways in which it has slowly, almost imperceptibly, inflated and distorted over the course of 12 months. Those winter months are generally heavy in the laying on the couch and 'vegging out' and Screen Free Week usually falls right at the precipice of spring into summer which is the perfect time to reflect on how to get our bodies and minds moving again without the crutch of screens.
In terms of preparation, I'm penciling in a library visit for the girls and I while Greyson is at school on Monday to get us some new and exciting books to enjoy during the week. I follow a few interesting kidlit accounts on instagram that always inspired my #libraryhaul wishlist - so I've been scribbling down some goodies before next week! (here are a few of my favorite kidlit accounts: Olivia Buxton with thelittlebookcollector, Anthea Nacinelli with Smashingkidreads, and Janssen Bradshaw with everydayreading)
Grey has three baseball games during Screen Free Week, so that will keep us occupied during the evenings along with his Spring Concert one of the other nights (!) I'm planning on using any other available evenings to head out to our favorite local playground, or even if weather cooperates making our first visit of the season to our favorite nearby lake for some toe-splashing one evening!
The 'big' event for the week will be a kid-created (from start to finish) meal: Taco Tuesday with all the fixins' and Chips & Salsa! They will be thrilled. We also have dinner over the fire (hot dogs, mountain pies) scheduled in for the weekend meals (another kid-favorite).
The folks over at Campaign for a Commerical free Childhood (the people behind Screen Free Week) have lots of helpful tips, ideas, and suggestions for Screen-free play and activities at their website, among other resources and guides.
As part of my 100 small things this year, I included #97: making Wednesdays our official 'screen free day' of the week - and to be honest, I haven't tackled it yet because I've been holding off until Screen Free Week to get the boost that I need to stick with it. It's like my New Years day but with screens, a fresh jumpstart of setting higher expectations!
In case you are interested, here are our previous years' reflections on our Screen Free Week experience (2013, 2014, 2015). I read through them today and smiled recalling especially that first Screen Free Week participation as it seemed as daunting as climbing a mountain. (It's actually inspired me to write a 'first timers' post later this week!)
So stick around this week for hopefully some screen free (or at least screen aware) inspiration to get us in the spirit for looking up and participating in life (!) next week! Are you planning on participating? Have you participated in the past or is it your first time? Any tips you want to share?
I'm not sure if I have the strength to participate... but I am considering now that I see how positive you feel about it. Thanks, as always, for inspiring me!
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