Children and youth today stare at computer screens for way too long. They do not take up enough outdoor activities. All the time that kids spend sitting in front of a screen can cause them to have adverse health effects, such as early diabetes and cardiovascular disease. That is why it is imperative to find healthy alternatives to kids’ screen time gaming.

The COVID-19 situation certainly hasn’t helped the situation. Kids are now under pressure to stay inside and stare at computer screens even more. Not only do they continue to play their video games on the computer, but they are taking their school classes online. That means more time spent in front of the screen.

As a parent, you need to incorporate healthy alternatives into your child’s life. Below are the top four healthy alternatives to kids’ screen time gaming.

1) Walking or Cycling

Some children still ride their bicycles outside. Consider buying a bicycle for your child and encourage them to ride it around the neighborhood. If bicycles do not interest your child, then have them take a walk around the block each day – moving around for at least 20 minutes.

2) Gardening

Gardening should not be for adults only. It is a good idea to teach your child about gardening while they are still young. It is a valuable skill they can use later in life to grow their food or possibly make money from selling their produce.

Show your child the benefits of gardening and the various activities involved in the gardening process, such as planting seeds, fertilizing the soil, and so on. The more time they spend learning how to garden, the more they will enjoy it.

3) Baking

Okay, so maybe you have a child that does not like the outdoors. If that is the case, teach them some indoor activities instead. Baking is a fun activity because it allows your child to learn how to prepare cookies, cakes, cupcakes, and other desserts that they love to eat.

Try out different sweet recipes each week to sustain the excitement of the baking process. Your child will love baking so much that they’ll forget about those addictive video games for a while.

4) Board Games

If your child loves gaming, then switch their video gaming with regular board gaming. Pull out your checkerboard or Covidopoly19 board game and have them play a board game with you. Board games will satisfy your child’s gaming addiction without requiring them to look at a screen.