No-Screen Smiles: Three Old-School Ideas for Family Fun

27 March 2018
Categories: Recreation & Sports, Blog

These days, everybody enjoys a little time in front of a TV or computer screen — and kids are certainly no exception to the rule. In fact, many parents are concerned about the amount of time their children spend being entertained in this way, remembering the vibrancy and activity in their own childhoods. Times definitely do change, but there's still plenty to be gained from spending some time together with no modern technology in sight. Here are a few ideas for fun, engaging days out with your family.

Fishing

If you're already a fan of the sport, you can perhaps already imagine that there's nothing more relaxing than a day out in a hired boat with the sun and the water all around you. However, this is equally as fun if nobody in the family has ever picked up a fishing rod before. You can learn together about how to set up a line, which fish might be available to catch, and the adrenalin rush of feeling a bite — plus, you can always ask the staff on shore for advice before you leave. Bring along a picnic to top it off and you're guaranteed a day to remember on your fishing trip.

Child-Friendly Museums

Okay, this one might be cheating slightly — many modern museums make clever use of technology to help engage children with their subject matter. Still, they're worth that little cheat. Find the right museum and your kids will spend a day learning without even realising they're doing so, with hands-on experiments and exhibits designed specifically for children. Where possible, find a couple of different options and let your child choose which looks the most exciting. This should help to dispel any lingering uncertainty about visiting a museum, and they'll certainly enjoy themselves once they arrive there. For that matter, so will you!

Live Music

Every year there are countless live music festivals across Australia. While not all of them are child-friendly, some are specifically designed with the family in mind, and they make fantastic days out for you and your children. You can enjoy the lively atmosphere of a music festival together, choosing which acts to watch and letting their taste in music develop. Especially if you plan on spending all day, take a blanket and a book; when the little ones want to run off some steam around you, you can take a seat and enjoy the atmosphere yourself.

There's a lot to be said for balance, and it's important that kids be allowed to pursue their own interests too. After all, there's plenty of educational value in getting comfortable and competent with technology, and plenty of games and TV shows teach strategy and storytelling. Still, spending this time together without screens and static will help to build family memories that won't fade in a hurry.

About Me

Do you ever find you've only been on the pitch for half an hour and you feel exhausted? That was me five years ago, and I decided I needed to get serious about improving my game. I learned how to increase my stamina on the football pitch, improved my technique and worked on my general fitness and nutrition. I can now comfortably play for a full 90 minutes, and I started this blog to pass what I've learned on to other amateur footballers. I also accept guest post submissions, so we can all benefit from each other’s knowledge and improve our game.