27/06/2024

A screen free Summer, what does that look like? 

Remember when summer holidays meant being out of the house the whole daylong, come rain or shine. Off on adventures with your friends, biking, and picnics for days on end. Water fights, paddling pools, ice lollies and plenty of fun. These days the pull of the screen, be it telly, phone or gaming, is so much stronger and much more tempting when there is so much to choose from and absorb.

Too much screen time can have several negative effects on children's development, mental health, and physical well-being.

Negative effects of too much screen time

Here are some ways excessive screen time can affect children:

Inadequate sleep

Excessive screen time, especially before bedtime, can disrupt sleep patterns and lead to insufficient sleep. This can have a negative impact on children's overall health, cognitive function, and mood (and we all know how difficult moody children can be!)

Poor concentration

Spending too much time on screens can affect a child's ability to concentrate and focus on tasks that require sustained attention, such as schoolwork or completing projects.

Increased risk of obesity

Excessive screen time often leads to a sedentary lifestyle, reducing physical activity levels. This lack of physical activity, combined with potential unhealthy snacking while using screens, can contribute to weight gain and an increased risk of obesity.

Social and emotional challenges

Excessive screen time can interfere with the development of social skills and the ability to form meaningful relationships. It may reduce face-to-face interactions and limit opportunities for practicing social cues and emotional regulation.

Academic performance

Spending too much time on screens can detract from time spent on educational activities, such as reading, studying, or engaging in creative problem-solving. This can potentially impact academic performance and learning outcomes.

Screen free adventures at summer camp

However, there are ways to mitigate these effects by encouraging children to engage in screen-free activities. Summer camps are a great option to keep kids entertained and active in the long school holidays.

By providing a variety of activities, both indoors and outdoors, children can explore their interests, develop new skills, and enhance their overall well-being.

At Barracudas holiday camps we provide over 80 activities for children to choose from; including team challenges, arts and crafts, field games, treasure hunts, nature trails, motorsports, and archery. 

A Summer holiday camp is the great antidote to screen time, plenty of time making friends, trying out new exciting activities both indoor and outdoor and keeping busy all day long!

Barracudas ACTIVE motto

Kids camps are the perfect way to enjoy plenty of different types of activities. We offer a huge range of sessions that will always be fun, varied and built on our ACTIVE motto!

Athletic

Kids get great benefits from being active, and it’s vital for their development and physical wellbeing to keep moving!

Creative

We know that every child is different. Barracudas supports art lovers and creative thinkers with multiple options. Creative activities foster mental growth by providing opportunities for trying out new ideas, new ways of thinking and problem solving.

Teamwork

Teamwork is an essential life skill for kids to master. At Barracudas, they'll have the opportunity to learn problem solving, listening, leadership, communication and creative thinking.

Inspiring

Children deserve to keep being inspired in the school holidays. Our timetables are carefully considered to make sure there’s plenty on offer to inspire children.

Variety

Variety is the spice of life! It's our mission to provide children with widest range of options at Barracudas camps. With 6 sessions each day and a choice for each one, our timetables are carefully planned to make sure kids will be kept motivated all day, and throughout the week.

Energetic

Energetic play has significant benefits for children. With increasingly sedate lifestyles, we know how important it is to get kids moving.

Can you go screen-free this summer?

Limiting screen time and actively monitoring and discussing the content children consume can also have positive effects on their social, academic, and physical well-being. Encouraging a healthy balance between screen time and other activities can support children's development, creativity, and overall happiness.

Getting outside

The best way to enjoy the Great British summertime is to get outside, discover nature, and embrace the great outdoors. There are so many ways you can do this, nature trails, team sports, discovery walks, bike rides, and hitting up the skate parks.

Time to get creative

Time away from screens can help boost creativity, so get those arts and crafts boxes out and your ‘Blue Peter’ hat on to start getting creative. 

Physical Activity

We all know too much time sat down is not good for our bodies, and children are no different. Physical activity in any form is so good for our bodies and our mental wellbeing. Getting that heart rate up and releasing those ‘happy hormones’ is important to do regularly with children, and there are so many fun ways to do it!

A good balance

There are some benefits of tech for kids, its all about balance.

There's a lot of good to come from some limited screen time; including increased social connection and exposure to brain-stimulating content. But it's smart to set limits, and never too late to create healthy rules around screen time.

A summer camp is a great way to keep kids active and 

 BOOK A SCREEN FREE SUMMER ADVENTURE