The new screenfreeweek.org offers free materials for teachers and parents for this year’s TV Turnoff week and ongoing Screen Time Management tools to aid families and children in future “screen smart” efforts.
Portland, OR – April 16, 2010 (PressReleasePivot) – Children are spending an average of eight hours staring at screens every day according to The Kaiser Family Foundation Study released in January. Parents and teachers need help understanding how to manage this explosion. Blue Lake Children’s Publishing created a Screen Free Week Kit on behalf of Kaiser Permanente that gives educators and parents the materials and information they need in order to participate in Screen Free Week (April 19th-25th) and the resources to help children live “screen smart” lives. Materials include The Educator’s Guide to Managing Preschool Screen Time, a book for preschoolers, a family discussion guide, planning charts for Screen Free Week and future “screen smart” plans.
“A major portion of my work is focused on the commercialization of children’s lives and the need to limit children’s access to screens.” says Dr. Susan Linn, Director of the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood. “This is due largely because of the negative impact of screen time on creative play.”
Excessive screen time in children is scientifically linked to obesity, poor school performance, disrupted sleeping patterns, and aggressive behavior. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends zero screen time before the age of two, and 1-2 hours per day for older children. Many parents are not aware of these guidelines, and even those who know the guidelines are struggling to find ways to balance screen time in their children’s lives. Informational guidelines and resources are available for free download at http://www.screenfreeweek.org
The Screen Free Week materials help parents and educators to understand the issues, and provide step-by-step tools designed to help them lead a more “screen smart life. “We encourage adults to reverse the trend toward excessive screen time by offering healthy alternatives.” says Judy Johnston, CEO of Blue Lake Children’s Publishing. “It’s a natural extension of the work we do to promote early literacy skills with The Tessy & Tab Reading Club. When parents show preschoolers that Tessy and Tab are watching less TV and playing fewer video games, they think it is more fun to do other things.” ( http://www.tessyandtab.com/gifts/index.htm )
Alternatives include getting outside, being more active, reading, and using their imaginations. According to Johnston “trying a Screen Free Week does not mean that you will want to go screen-free forever. When you go camping, you are not swearing off of real beds, appliances and climate control for all time – it’s just a taste of the wild. Screen Free Week lets your family have fun ‘roughing it’ as well as giving you a few tools and ideas for a healthy lifestyle.” ( http://www.screenfreeweek.org/#sfwplanning )
About BLUE LAKE CHILDREN’S PUBLISHING
Founded in 2002 and based in Portland, Oregon, Blue Lake Children’s Publishing creates magazines with engaging characters and innovative formats that capture the imagination of today’s media-savvy children. Blue Lake’s flagship product is The Tessy & Tab Reading Club for preschoolers ( http://www.tessyandtab.com ) which combines a children’s magazine subscription with tools for parents to help their preschooler get ready to read. This reading program builds early reading skills in children ages 2-6 and was developed to support the Six Skills for Early Literacy endorsed by the U.S. Department of Education. The Blue Lake team believes that books and magazines can compete in a world saturated with electronic media. In an environment where children spend an average of four hours a day watching television, Blue Lake levels the playing field by delivering fresh, relevant and fun reading experiences.
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