8 benefits of unplugging and engaging in real play.
We all know, intuitively, that it’s not great for kids to spend hours looking at screens and devices. But why are parents joining screen-free movements, schools limiting the use of devices in the classroom, and governments placing restrictions on video games and other on-screen activities?
Kids should minimize time on devices for many of the same reasons that adults should: overstimulation and losing the ability to concentrate, the loss of meaningful social connections, and dips in self-esteem from perceiving carefully curated images as “normal.”
However, children also have special challenges when it comes to screen time. Their tiny brains are still developing, learning critical skills and habits.
Let’s look at some of the (admittedly scary) science behind the risks of screen time for kids:
A study cited by the Mayo Clinic found that a group of children who went without electronic devices for five days were better at recognizing facial emotions and reading nonverbal cues than children who lived life as usual. WOW. That’s shocking!
Another report found that children who spend more time looking at a screen are more likely to have behavioral problems and divided attention. Is this surprising to anyone?
These studies suggest that screens can negatively affect children’s cognitive processing, from limiting their social intelligence skills to stunting the development of effective emotional regulation strategies. So if screen-time is so problematic, then what’s a better alternative? In today’s age of overly scheduled activities, we sometimes forget about the value of unstructured, open-ended play.
As physician and researcher Dr. Stuart Brown of the National Institute for Play says,
“Real play is a profound biological brain process that happens in real three-dimensional life, not in virtual life. Real play requires interaction with the real world with hands, physical activity, and imagination that isn’t present in screen-play.” — Dr. Stuart Brown, National Institute for Play
With these ideas in mind, here’s a rundown of some (8+) of the many benefits of screen-free play. Some are backed by science and experts. Others come from our own observations as parents, teachers, coaches, and toy makers. After all, this is why we created Claymates: To bring back open-ended, self-directed, no-rules – screen-free – play.
1. Active vs. passive play
With real play, kids DO things rather than having things done to them or for them. They’re not just observing. They’re not scrolling or swiping. They’re building and creating. And all of this requires them to use their brains and engage different parts of their body.
2. Motor skill development
When kids draw or build with wooden blocks and toys like Legos, they develop fine motor skills that will help them later in life, whether they want to become a hairstylist, musician, carpenter, or surgeon. This is more important than ever as many schools have stopped teaching fine motor skills like cursive, and children spend more time “writing” by typing keys.
Digital devices demand simple motions -- tap, hold, pinch, slide, swipe. Real-world activities require a much broader range of motions, like lifting, twisting, kneading, and pulling.
As kids play with physical toys, they build muscle memory and develop mental models of their interactions with the real, 3D world. Tapping a button to hit a pitch is not the same as swinging a bat. Building a bike online is not the same as getting grease on your hands while you crank an allen wrench.
3. Choices and decision-making
Many digital games offer an element of choice, but the choices are constrained: Start here. Go left or right. Choose a yellow ball or a green one. But with open-ended play, children have a completely blank canvas.
They can choose all by themselves whether to create a person or a pet. A robot, alien or mythical creature. They can create things they’ve never seen before and only dreamed of. They can start at the top or bottom. It’s up to them, and that freedom of choice is empowering.
4. Independence, ownership, and agency
Have you ever knitted a scarf or tiled your own kitchen and noticed how much more you appreciate the things you create for yourself?
As kids grow older, they shift from having literally everything done for them – from diaper changes to bottle feeding – to realizing that they can do things for themselves, others, and the world around them.
When children design, they develop a sense of ownership and agency. Watch as they beam with pride while showing you their creations. Observe how they shift from a state of dependence to independence, and gain greater confidence in their choices and abilities.
5. Collaboration, sharing, and interpersonal skills
Many digital activities are designed for solo use. Others, such as multiplayer games, enable a degree of collaboration. But often children are competing against one another, rather than working together. Beating their chests instead of listening and creating space for everyone to participate.
Real play in the real world requires kids to develop interpersonal skills that aren’t mediated by a screen. Where they can’t simply “x-out” of a difficult conversation. They learn to share crayons and pieces of clay in an age when many children will never share a bedroom. They brainstorm and spark ideas. They collaborate to create the biggest, newest, coolest thing.
6. Creative problem-solving & emotional regulation
As kids explore open-ended play with friends, they encounter challenges: They run out of their favorite color of clay. Their brother or sister hoards all the markers. Their tower comes tumbling down. Their brilliant idea doesn’t quite work out as planned.
As they tackle these problems in an environment with no right answer or clear ending point, they learn to listen, reason, and negotiate. They discover how to manage their emotions and deal with feeling frustrated, embarrassed, or upset.
They start to develop new perspectives and ways of looking at the world. They test and learn. Refine and rebuild. And in the process, they develop critical thinking skills, ingenuity, and maturity.
7. Boredom breeds brilliance
Children take in so much new information every day, it can be overwhelming. They need time to let these ideas sink in and germinate.
We drive kids around from activity to activity, with strict start and end times, where they’re told exactly what to do. It’s as if we’re afraid to let them ever just be bored. But often, those pauses between activities are when the real magic and creativity happen.
Just as our best ideas come in the shower when we’re letting our minds wander, kids are most creative when they have to figure out what to do next. Or when they’re mindlessly rolling a log of clay. When they have to learn how to entertain themselves – rather than turning on a screen and expecting it to entertain them. There is so much power in this concept of boredom – we’ll do a longer article about it soon!
8. Bringing biological processes back to baseline
Research has shown that kids who spend large amounts of time using screens get less sleep, on average, than those who don’t – perhaps due to the impacts of blue light and sensory overstimulation. They also tend to snack more, and thus are at a higher risk of obesity.
Many screen-based activities also cause dramatic spikes in levels of the neurotransmitters dopamine and adrenaline, which can have a drug-like effect on kids, according to Melanie Hempe, RN. Getting children off of screens can help to reset chemical levels and get them back to a more normal baseline, enabling more moderated and consistent behavior.
So what can I do about screen time as a parent?
We hope this article has given you some food for thought as you consider how to manage screen time and choose engaging toys and play-things. However, it’s also important to give yourself some grace and remember that not ALL screen time is bad! There are plenty of great educational toys and games out there, and sometimes we all need a break to just relax and watch a silly show.
It’s not about being perfect. It’s just about making sure your kids have the chance to engage in real, meaningful play, and experience all the benefits that come along with it.
We recommend starting small with a day of unplugging. We just celebrated the Global Day of Unplugging in early March, but you can do it with your family any time. For those truly ambitious, consider gearing up for Screen-Free Week, happening the first week of May. Check out the Global Day of Unplugging and Screenfree.org websites for more ideas of how to have family fun during screen-free days.
Good luck, and let us know how it goes!
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