Using Screen Time to Connect Kids With Their Imaginations

With the sudden onset of digital learning, Screen Time has gone from a luxury to a requirement for most children. But with the summer fast approaching, many parents are hesitant to continue the trend of allowing their children access to an abundance of screens, worried that Zombieism will take over and imagination will suffer. But with a new method of learning, comes a new world of opportunities. And screen time isn’t just for video games and streaming services anymore. 

While Screen Time has previously been trapped in the stigmas of being used solely as a reward by some and avoided by others due to the thought that screen time will stifle a child’s ability to learn about the world outside of them, researchers are discovering that creativity can be found in any medium. In fact, with it so readily available, modern children are using gadgets like cell phones and tablets to create short films, learn choreography, take on new craft projects, and so much more. 

But how can you help foster creativity for your children in this digital world? 

1. Passive versus Creative Screen Time – Talk to your children and see how they are using their Screen Time. Are they engaging their minds and imaginations to create something new and exciting, or are they simply watching videos on streaming services? There isn’t anything wrong with either option, but if you are worried about the Screen Zombies, the best thing to do is have a conversation with your child about how they are using their time and set parameters for which type of screen time they are engaging in. A 30 minute time limit on gaming and video watching might keep them from falling down a rabbit hole of mindlessness, but allowing children to use technology for creative activities like video creation or drawing can have productive results for both tactile skills and the imagination.  
2. Encourage Digital Activity – When teaching your child to use their Screen Time to activate their imagination, consider finding a digital alternative to an activity they do daily. Do you have a coloring segment in the day? Ask your child to use a digital outlet to create a drawing for you. Try giving them a tablet or phone and an hour to take photos that explain how they see the world. Then take a moment after they are done to let them showcase each photo to you and you’ll both learn a little bit more about what your child thinks of when they see the world around them. 
3. Get Inspired – There are lots of sites that will give you ideas on ways children can use digital platforms for creative purposes. Do your research and look for new programs and activities that have hobbies your child is interested in. Or better yet, find something that you can do together. Family TikTok videos are always entertaining ways to share a fun, interactive experience. 
4. Sign them up for an online class – With everyone creating digital summer camps this year, there is a creative camp for everyone. Acting, dancing, singing, filmmaking, even sports camps have found new ways to implement their programs through an online source. Find a class that interests your child and open them up to a new creative skill and new friends through online learning. 

There are many ways to introduce your child to a new branch of their imagination with creative Screen Time. Instead of focusing purely on whether or not our children are on screens, we should look at what they are using them for and how we can direct that to a more engaging experience. We need to address the new skills that our children are learning during their Screen Time and cultivate that into usable skills for their future (after all, the future is digital). But most importantly, we need to actively encourage the emotional and mental growth of it all, and watch as Screen Time can become yet another way to help our children express themselves creatively.

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Looking for an online class that can connect your child to their imagination? kidsActing Studio has you covered! We’ve taken 40 years of our experience to the digital world! Our new online learning platform “kidsActing Connected” is keeping students engaged in learning with classes in everything from Social Media Filmmaking, playwriting, stage makeup, and acting for the stage and screen. Learn more by visiting our website: www.kidsActingStudio.com/kidsactingconnected.