With schools breaking up for the Christmas holidays and most parents getting to spend at least a bit more time at home, too, the festive season really is the moment to chuck in the mundane routines of everyday life and indulge in some uninterrupted time with your kids. And when we say uninterrupted, we don’t mean putting them in front of YouTube Kids.

Play, in its simplest form, is one of the most important parts of being young. But research shows that by the age of seven, children will have spent an average of two years and three months of their lives in front of a screen. More than half of that time is “mindless” screen time, spent without family or friends, in solitary, screen-based activities, according to a study of parents conducted by Persil. 

Screens, when used in the right way, can be very beneficial – aiding learning and child development. But how can parents help their kids find that balance, when screen time is so often the easiest and suitable option? To find out, we chatted to Sir Ken Robinson, an expert in education, creativity and human development, and chair of the advisory board for Dirt is Good, a campaign championing “real play” in childhood. Here are his seven helpful tips.

Make play unsupervised and self-initiated. 

Robinson defines what he calls “real play” as play that is unsupervised and self-initiated – and says this is what parents should aim for. “It is hands‑on, multi-sensory activity, which connects children to the world around them,” he says. “And it involves a range of senses – smelling, touching, listening, and being physically active.”

Your main resources are time, energy and laughter.

Real play is not expensive. In fact, it’s the opposite as it only requires enthusiasm and energy. “The well spring of real play is children’s natural imaginations and powers of creativity and make believe,” says Robinson. “Since time immemorial, those capacities have been stimulated by the activities of play themselves and often the simplest materials.” Think activities such as painting, playing with sand, climbing trees, chasing, role play, juggling, and, that old classic, hide and seek.

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There are different types of play. Encourage them.

As well as real play, Robinson says there is also structured play (think “doctors”, “teachers” or a specific puzzle) and screen-based games. “Both have value in themselves,” he says, “but they don’t offer the opportunities for active, physical, imaginative and social play that can have such positive benefits in children.”

Remember, zero screen time is not the end goal.

Screens aren’t all bad, but Robinson says the evidence shows children and young people are spending too much time in front of them and often on activities that have little benefit or are potentially harmful for their wellbeing and development. “According to children’s ages, parents should set agreed limits on screen time and times when screens are put away altogether in favour of other activities,” he advises.

Set aside time each week for outdoor play.

Where and when you go outside with kids much depends on circumstances, including where families live – in towns, cities, or the countryside – and whether there are gardens, parks or playgrounds nearby. Seek out these places and spaces and what facilities they offer. Parents can then set aside time outside each week, “overseen for safety, but not organised by them for content and form,” Robinson advises. “As long as the activities are enjoyable, the only extra requirement in winter is to dress for warmth. As long as they’re dressed for it, kids enjoy the cold as much as the sun.” 

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Think how you played when you were younger.

Parents can be inspired by thinking how they used to play. We might resort to screens now, but it’s important to remember some of these screens have only been around for a few years, like smartphones, laptops, and tablets. So what did you use to entertain yourself as a kid? Making music? Mud pies? Ladybird gardens? “Before screens took over – that is, for most of human history – people relaxed and enjoyed themselves in countless ways: crafts, clubs, hobbies, reading, writing, team games. You name it. Those options are all still available.”

Don’t focus on it being educational.

If you’re a parent who not only plays with your kid but plays educational games, you’re totally bossing it, right? Not necessarily. Play, in its most natural form, contributes towards children’s development in many ways: cognitive, social, emotional, physical and spiritual. “Play is important in itself and the evidence of research and of common sense is that when children are allowed proper time to play their interest and enthusiasm for other activities – including other work in school – increases too,” says Robinson. So, don’t force it. Play is naturally educational. Nice.