People around the country (and world!) will turn OFF TV, video and mobile games, and other screens they use for entertainment, and turn ON the world around them! Think, read, play, daydream, explore nature, enjoy family and friends--do all this and so much more when you spend 7 days unplugged. 

Television can be a relaxing way to end the day. It makes a great babysitter. It is a good distraction when you are stressed out. It is entertaining. It requires no effort. It is a great way to avoid conversation.

So, what is the problem? It makes you lazy. People are sloppier about what they eat. TV can influence your mood by the content of the programs. TV keeps you from doing physical activity. It keeps you from talking to one another. It can assist in procrastination. Kids no longer need to use their imaginations so they get bored more easily.

Benefits to turning off the screens... You and your family will have more quality time together. It will give you a chance to do more interactive activities. Most kids watch at least 15-20 hours a week. For this one week, you will be gaining these hours to exercise, read, play , use your imagination, bake, etc. Kids won't be exposed to commercials, violence, negative language, etc. 

Give yourself a week and see if you see the difference. View the following site for more information. WEBSITE

CHECK OUT THE PARENTCLICK DIRECTORY OR CALENDAR FOR LOCAL ACTIVITIES THAT KEEP YOU OUTSIDE RATHER THAN IN FRONT OF A SCREEN >

ALTERNATIVES TO WATCHING TELEVISION

• Play games
• Encourage conversation at meals
• Do art projects
• Bake & cook together
• Hike, bike, walk, swim, bowl
• Turn up the music and dance around the house
• Go to bed on time
• Read books together and talk about them afterward
• Keep a journal on what activities you do and the differences you see in your family. After your week is over, consider devoting 1 day a week to no TV and do things as a family.
  

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Did you know that the average American family spends 28 hours a week in front of the TV? During "SCREEN-FREE Week," which takes place at the end of April, FIRST 5 Santa Barbara County encourages families to join the millions of participants nationwide turning off their televisions to spend more quality time together.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends television time for young children be limited. In fact, the AAP advises children under age 2 not watch television and preschoolers spend no more than an hour a day in front of the TV. Despite this, the average child in the United States watches approximately four hours of television daily. Since a child's brain develops most dramatically in the first five years, watching too much television can have negative impacts on young viewers. These include less family time together, lower reading and academic performance, shorter attention spans and lack of physical activity.

First 5 Santa Barbara County offers the following tips to help parents, caregivers and children celebrate "TV-Turnoff Week," and experience life without television, which can be rewarding, fun and relaxing for the entire family:

• Read aloud to your child every day
• Draw with your child
• Play outside together
• Exercise as a family by taking walks, riding bikes or learning a new sport together
• Take trips with your child - visit the local library, park or museum
• Work on craft projects such as picture frames made from Popsicle sticks
• Sing songs and dance with your child
• Dig around in the garden together
• Tell stories and encourage your child to ask questions about what they liked most