Cellphones, tablets, laptops, and computers. These are only a few gadgets that have become a significant part of everyone’s daily lives. These easy-to-use gadgets help people complete day-to-day activities such as creating grocery lists, remembering important dates, and getting to a particular destination. 

Gadgets also help when researching projects, completing school assignments, and doing home-based work! 

Whether you are a child, teenager, or adult, you probably own at least one or two of the mentioned gadgets.

Along with all the advantages mentioned come significant disadvantages, especially for young kids. 

Kids tend to get stuck with their gadgets for long periods. It is understandable why that is. With the presence of video games and “YouTube,” kids can get hooked on their phones or tablets, constantly playing games or watching funny videos.

This may seem harmless at first, but the more your kids get stuck to their gadgets, the harder it becomes for you to get them unstuck. 

They could have potential trouble with their school activities, have problems socializing with others, and experience a lack of physical activity.

What You Can Do Now

The first step you can take is to encourage your kid to put down whatever gadget they hold and engage in sports.

What sport? 

First, you need to know what type of sport your child is interested in and if he or she is really capable of engaging in it. 

 Encouraging your kid to engage in sports such as cycling, running, playing basketball, or soccer will help them exercise their bodies and release all that energy they have been storing up from sitting or lying down while staring at a gadget screen.

Doing this will help your kid reduce their time on their gadgets and instead do something they will enjoy and benefit from physically and mentally.

Solo and Team Sports

Every kid is different. One might prefer to engage in sports on their own or against an opponent, while some prefer to work with a team. If your child likes sports that he can engage in on his own or against an opponent, you might want to consider encouraging them to participate in cycling, swimming, running, tennis, squash, or fencing.

However, if your child prefers to work with a team while engaging in sports, you could consider encouraging them to take up basketball, volleyball, rugby, football, or baseball.

Solo sports will help your kid gain that sense of individuality when they participate in a sport they know they are good at and do on their own.

On the other hand, team sports help your kid learn essential lessons in teamwork, how to be a team player, working with others towards a common goal, having their teammate’s backs, and can give them lifelong friendships.

If you have toddlers at home or young kids who you want to engage in physical activities, you might want to introduce them to fort  building. You and your kids can enjoy this activity both indoors or outdoors. This option may be great as you transition your child from gadgets to actual physical play. From creating tents to imagining castles, a versatile and high quality glow fort can help your child engage more in physical activities while stimulating their imagination at the same time. 

But whether your child prefers solo or team sports, they are both effective in keeping their hands and eyes off their gadgets.

Do It as a Family

Engaging in sports as a family with your kids will encourage them even more, to participate in the activity. The benefits are not just confined to them but to you too. While your kids enjoy themselves and benefit their physical and mental health, you do the same thing!

You also get to spend quality family time together that will help your kids realize that they have a life outside of their gadgets, one that is fun, entertaining, and beneficial.

The sports mentioned above can all be played as a family, big or small.

During the transition period, you might want to consider engaging in sports with the use of technology first before you send your children out. Take note though that if you do this, you need to consistently reiterate to your children that going out and off gadgets offers the best benefits when engaging in physical sport.

Once the children are already used to moving, give them the option to see the difference when it comes to bringing their game off from their gadgets and into the outside world where they can enjoy the sun and the breezy air. You might want to consider getting your personal adjustable volleyball net which you can bring anywhere, adjust at any height, and use for more fun with your children as you play ball games that the whole family will surely enjoy. 

What To Remember

Sports are a great way to help your kids divert their attention from their gadgets to fun physical activities. You have to remember that encouraging them to put down their devices and do something else will not be easy and take a lot of effort and time.

You also cannot deprive them of gadgets because, one way or another, they will end up needing them for something important. You have to set limits for your kid to help balance their gadget time with other activities. Helping them engage in sports will, in turn, allow them to forget about their gadgets and do something fun while benefiting their physical and mental health.

Remember, as a parent; you serve as the role model. So give your kid a good example, set a balance for yourself, and try to keep your gadgets in their place. 

Do not let them get in the way of the more essential things in your life.