Helping Your Kids Develop Healthy Coping Skills and Replacement Activities
minimize screentime and build mental health

Embrace Boredom as an Opportunity

 

Boredom isn’t something to avoid; it’s a golden opportunity for creativity, growth, and resilience. When kids are bored, they often feel compelled to fill the void with screen time. But if we allow boredom and offer gentle guidance, kids will often discover interests and hobbies that provide genuine fulfillment.

 

Encourage your kids to explore activities they may enjoy off-screen. Ask these three open-ended questions to help them discover their own ideas:

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1. “What do you like to do that’s fun (without a screen)?”

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2. “What do you find relaxing?”

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3. “What are some safe activities you can do when you feel upset or need to release anger?”

 

These questions will help kids identify what brings them joy, calm, or relief—without always relying on technology.

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Exploring Screen-Free Fun

 

Fun is essential for children’s happiness and growth. Screens often provide easy stimulation, but there are so many off-screen options that provide richer, more rewarding fun. It may get messy! But what is fun without a little bit of mess?

 

Here are some FUN ideas:

 

• Outdoor Adventures: Go for a bike ride, play a game in the yard, build a fort, or try hiking. Physical play encourages creativity and provides a natural endorphin boost.

 

• Creative Projects: Art supplies, Legos, cooking, or building projects can help them discover their inner creator.

 

• Sports or Physical Hobbies: Activities like soccer, dance, or martial arts not only provide fun but also a great outlet for energy.

 

• Board Games and Puzzles: These build problem-solving skills and can be a fun way for the family to spend time together without screens.

 

Give your child time and space to try out these options. Their interests might shift as they grow, but the key is to keep exploring!

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Teaching Kids to Relax Without a Screen

 

Screens often fill our need for relaxation, but they can actually make it harder to unwind in the long term. When you ask your child, “What do you find relaxing?” help them explore ways to truly rest and reset:

 

• Mindfulness and Deep Breathing: Practicing simple breathing techniques or mindful observation (like watching the clouds) can be calming and empowering. Try “belly breathing” together—where they place a hand on their stomach to feel the gentle rise and fall as they breathe in and out.

 

• Reading or Drawing: These quiet activities help children slow down and allow their minds to unwind, creating space for peace and focus.

 

• Listening to Music or Nature Sounds: Soft music or sounds of nature can offer a simple way to relax.

 

• Stretching or Yoga: Easy stretches or yoga moves help relieve tension in the body, which is particularly helpful for kids feeling pent-up energy.

 

Teaching kids to connect with these calming activities will help them discover that relaxation is something they can create for themselves, not something they need to rely on a screen to feel.

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Finding Healthy Outlets for Anger

 

Anger and frustration are normal, and learning to manage these intense emotions is a skill kids will carry into adulthood. When you ask, “What can you do to release anger?” make sure they know it’s okay to feel upset and that they have safe, positive outlets for expressing it.

 

Here are some suggestions for healthy ways to release anger:

 

• Physical Activity: Encourage them to go for a run, jump on a trampoline, or hit a punching bag (or pillow). Physical movement helps to channel anger into action, which can reduce frustration.

 

• Writing or Drawing About Feelings: Having a “feelings journal” can help children express what’s bothering them without keeping it bottled up. Younger kids can use drawing as an outlet to visualize what they’re feeling. Or maybe they want to scribble a big mess on the paper or crumple it up.

 

• Talking About It: Let your child know they can always come to you. Sometimes, just talking about what’s bothering them can be enough to release the anger. *Or maybe a good scream into a pillow will do the trick!

 

• Breathing Techniques: A few deep breaths can slow the mind and body, giving kids a chance to reflect and regain control before their anger escalates.

 

When children learn healthy ways to release anger, they start to understand that emotions don’t have to be overwhelming—they’re just signals that need positive outlets.

 

Supporting Your Child Through Boredom and Distress

 

There is no denying that boredom is NO FUN. Boredom is one of the first uncomfortable experiences we have as humans. Learning how to handle boredom, stress, and other tough emotions is a critical life skill, and sometimes the best way to develop it is by facing these feelings head-on.

 

Stay Close and Offer Guidance

   Kids will sometimes feel uncomfortable or frustrated with these changes. Stay close by and provide encouragement, reminding them that it’s okay to feel bored or stressed.

 

Be Patient as They Adjust

   Learning new ways to cope takes time. Praise their efforts when they try new activities, even if they don’t stick with one right away.

 

Share Your Own Experiences

   When kids hear that you sometimes get bored, stressed, or angry too, it normalizes these feelings. Share what works for you to handle them without turning to screens.

 

Celebrate Their Small Successes

   When your child finds an activity they enjoy or discovers a way to relax, celebrate that moment with them. Small successes build confidence and encourage them to keep exploring.

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What LookUp is trying to say is...

 

The goal isn’t to eliminate screen time completely but to help children understand that there are so many other ways to have fun, relax, and handle tough emotions. By supporting your kids in developing their own screen-free coping skills and activities, you’re giving them tools they’ll use throughout their lives.

 

When children discover that they can find joy, calm, and resilience within themselves, they begin to rely less on screens to meet these needs. Let’s empower our kids to build their own inner resources—and to LookUP and enjoy the world around them!