Did you know according to the American Academy of Pediatrics, children under the age of 2 are recommended to have no screen time except for occasional video/facetime chatting? They go on to say that screen time, if necessary between 18-24 months should be limited to watching educational programming with a caregiver. Meanwhile, children ages 2-5 should be limited to a maximum of one hour per day of quality programming. Children over 5 are recommended not more than 2 hours per day. As an educator, I know that many children exceed this recommendation just while they are in school, not counting the hours at home. But the amount of screen time in the younger years is having an effect on children’s cognitive abilities as they mature.
Do you know what the average daily screen time for a typical child in the United States is?
According to the CDC, the average screen time for children in the US is:
6 hours for children 8-10
9 hours for children 11-14
7.5 hours for children ages 15-18
In 2005, twenty years ago, the average screen time for US children was around 2-4 hours per day. This is affecting our children’s development in terms of cognition, critical and creative thinking skills.
So what could you do to help your children (or students, grandchildren, etc.) to spend less time on screens and more time working on critical developmental skills? We know that a one size approach doesn’t work for all families or all children. But, in an age when screens are literally everywhere, it’s often difficult to find activities that are of interest to children.
Thrifted Wisdom has come up with a recommendation of 10 games to help you encourage the building of these skills in your children and students. All items listed and linked are available on Amazon, but can likely be found sold by most any large retail store.
There are so many varieties of these kits now. There is the traditional kit that has as many 300-750 projects. These kits teach the basics of electrical engineering (a.k.a. making complete circuits) while encouraging problem solving, creative thinking, and small motor skills. I had these in my classroom, and all of my students loved the days we got these out.
These also come in many varieties including some that glow in the dark. If you have more than one child, you could get two sets and let them set up races against each other between the two runs. These STEM toys teach children hands-on lessons on the physics of motion and aerodynamics while encouraging creative thinking and problem-solving skills.
Marble Run for Younger Children
- Gravity Maze by ThinkFun 2017 Toy of the Year. This game includes 60 challenges that build spatial reasoning and planning skills. Over 50 millions of these mind-challenging, critical thinking games have been sold.
I’m sure everyone has heard of Magnetic Tiles, often known as Magnatiles. There are hundreds of varieties available now. Magnetic Tiles are great for all ages. Traditionally they come in squares and triangles, but many new kits have a variety of 2D and 3D colorful shapes which can help younger children learn the names of shapes and colors. Meanwhile, creativity abounds as children build 3D structures while using spatial reasoning, critical thinking skills, and logic. The great thing about magnetic tiles, is you can mix and match brands, if you choose to, and create very elaborate structures.
Blokus is a strategy game that can be great for the entire family. Players take turns placing various shaped pieces (think of Tetris) on the board while thinking critically and strategically to block opponents. This thought-provoking game is sure to be a family favorite.
This is another game I had in my own classroom. This is another great family game, but can also be played by just one player. The game involves strategically placing game rods on a balance without tipping it. This helps develop hand-eye coordination, cognitive skills, and balance.
- Magnetic Chess — Contrary to the name, no chess ability is necessary to play this game. It involves cognitive skills as well as critical thinking skills and logic to outwit and outlast the other players. Just when you think you’re gonna win, the magnets kick in and all your pieces clip together causing you to need to start again from square one.
Brain bolt strengthens your brain memory as you are challenged to remember the light sequence and follow along without breaking the pattern. This is similar to the game Simon which has been around for years. Your child will use sequential thinking and reaction skills to compete in this game.
Kannodle has several variations but all are “a caboodle of brain-teasing puzzles.” Over 7 million have been sold, many from being featured on TikTok. Kanoodle includes 2D and 3D puzzles. Some variations involve a competition with other players. These brain-bending puzzle games will give your child’s brain a work-out!
Uzzle also has several variations, but they are all fast-paced and action-packed games that improve problem solving and cognitive skills. These can be single player or multiplayer rounds. Players race to crack a puzzle by flipping 5 pattern blocks to make the given overall pattern. Observation skills, memory, and coordination will all be used in this fun, fast-paced game.
Follow Thrifted Wisdom’s Blog on www.thriftedwisdom.com for more upcoming educational articles. Educational activities and worksheets will be posted on TPT under the same name. You can also find Thrifted Wisdom by clicking these links on Pinterest and for the Facebook Page: Thrifted Wisdom where huge savings and deals can be found. Be sure to click follow on the sites to get updates. To learn more about what Thrifted Wisdom is, visit the website.
***Links of all the games mentioned have been provided. As an affiliate, Thrifted Wisdom could earn from qualifying purchases.
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