Summer is the season we all wait for, with its sunny days, vacations, family and friends, and a lot more free time. For neurodivergent children, however, all of that free time can be a little tricky. Yes, there is more time for outdoor activities, socializing, and getting all that energy out, but it also presents the difficulty of managing increased screen time. Balancing digital play with other types of play is important, as we know, for their development and well-being…but in practice? It can feel like an uphill battle. Before you stress too much over summer screen time, take a look at these tips to create a more balanced and enriching summer experience for your child.
1. Establish a Screen Time Routine
Neurodivergent children thrive on routine, so over the summer, it’s essential to maintain some consistency in your day-to-day plans. For screen time, this looks like designated times throughout the day where your child has access to screens. If your child asks for screens outside of those times, your answer is predictable and clear, which helps to build a more secure environment.
Involving your child in setting up their daily schedule can help them understand the expectations and also build self-regulation skills, supporting their growth and increasing independence.
2. Balance Types of Play
Including a “play diet” into your child’s summer schedule can be a helpful tool in managing screen time. Just as a balanced diet includes a variety of foods, a healthy play diet involves a variety of activities–digital, social, creative, and physical.
Work with them to create a chart outlining the different types of play, and come up with ideas together of how to incorporate each one as much as possible. For example, encourage physical activities that can improve their focus and executive functioning skills, such as playing at a park, swimming, or climbing in the backyard. These activities are essential as they not only benefit their physical health, but also improve emotional regulation and social skills.
3. Adapt the Environment for Mindful Screen Use
If you are looking to limit the screen time your child has, making some changes to your home environment might help. Instead of having screens in bedrooms and separate areas, keep electronic devices in common areas when you can to facilitate shared use to make screen time more interactive, and allow supervision.
Also, consider setting up a charging station in a central location where devices are stored overnight, helping to reduce the temptation for late-night screen use.
4. Use Screen Time to Promote Social Interaction
Especially as a parent of a neurodivergent child, the thought of too much screen time likely brings up worries about less time to practice social skills. However, technology can be used to connect to others. This could involve playing cooperative video games with siblings or using FaceTime to stay in touch with friends and family members.
Activities like taking photos during family outings and discussing them later can be a meaningful way to use screens for social and cognitive development. There are plenty of apps that offer multi-player games, music collaboration opportunities, or even interactive storytelling. Even watching a movie and then discussing the plot afterward can benefit comprehension and verbal skills.
Remember, the goal is not to eliminate screen time, but to ensure it is a beneficial component of a well-rounded set of activities that contribute to your child’s growth.
At West Hills Academy, we believe in a well-rounded and diverse education for our students. Our blend of customized education plans, social and vocational programming, plenty of time in nature on our 18-acre campus, and utilizing cutting edge technology helps our students develop crucial skills to take with them far beyond their years here. For information on our unique program, reach out here.
Resources:
https://www.additudemag.com/limiting-screen-time-for-kids-summer/
