Children grow up surrounded by technology and screens. Learn how to help your children or students develop a healthy relationship with media by trying some fun skill-building activities from the American Academy of Pediatrics Center of Excellence on Social Media and Youth Mental Health.

Here are a few ideas:

Setting up for "us" time

Set up device-free dinners or device-free zones in your home. Have a basket or box where phones, tablets, and other devices go to be quiet for a while. If you feel like being crafty, ask your child to help make or decorate the device's "rest" bag or box. When your devices are in there, explain that you do this so you can focus just on them and the things you want to do or play together.

Technology that's hard to put down

Take turns looking at your "screen time" reports in your device settings. Talk about what you usually do on your device and whether it brings you joy or stress. Ask kids which apps and games are the hardest to put down. Also, ask which ones let them feel like they are easily in control.

To go to the Healthchildren.org webpage to access the full article, click here.