Healthy Ways to Keep Kids Entertained during Winter Break

CLEVELAND –Many kids are now on winter break from school and are sure to have moments of boredom.

So, what can parents do to help keep them entertained?

“Lately, I have been hearing a lot of kids say how much video games is their favorite activity, so I would like to see that shift back to them actually doing something active rather than being passive and sitting in front of a TV or playing video games,” said Gina Robinson, MD, pediatrician for Cleveland Clinic Children’s.

Dr. Robinson said there are plenty of options. For example, if you live in a colder climate where there is snow, they can build a snowman, have a snowball fight, go skiing or sledding.

Other ideas include going to the library to pick out some books to read or taking a walk in the park to get some fresh air. You could also do arts and crafts or maybe bake some cookies.

If your child got a video game for the holidays, they are likely going to want to play those. But, Dr. Robinson said it’s important they aren’t overdoing it.

“I would try to set limits and boundaries before the games even come out and say this is how much time we have for games. If you’d like to earn a few extra minutes by doing chores or tasks around the house, that’s a way to make them feel like they’re able to get more time. But we really don’t want to have unlimited game time all day,” she advised.

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, media use for children under the age of two is not recommended, and kids older than that should be limited to two hours a day.

Dr. Robinson said parents shouldn’t feel bad if they go over that time, but try not to make a habit of it.