5 Tips for Effective Online Learning and Screen Time Management

We’re already a year into the pandemic, but many of us are still searching for ways to adjust, especially parents with children who are learning remotely. How strict do we need to be about screen time? How do we set up the most effective online learning environment? While we may not have all the answers, here are 5 tips that can help.

Tip 1: Separate kids’ at home learning space and their sleeping space

It seems ideal: Wake up, rollover, turn on the computer and log onto class without getting out of bed. We all love the comfort of our beds and our pajamas. The trouble is our brains associate activities with where they happen. For children, it’s hard to focus on school if there’s a bed reminding them of sleep and it’s hard to sleep when there’s a computer reminding them of school. Keeping school, sleep and everything else separate helps their developing brains focus on what’s important at that moment.

Tip 2: Keep pencil and paper in the picture

Sure, class happens on screen and they turn in assignments online. But your little ones are more likely to retain what they’ve learned with good old-fashioned pencil and paper. So set up your little scholar with their favorite pencil and notepad next to their computer. And if you can, print out reading materials. That has the added benefit of giving their eyes a rest from the screens. Speaking of which…

Tip 3: Schedule screen breaks

Being online for hours at a time is hard on their young eyes. Staying seated for hours isn’t exactly healthy (or easy) either. Make sure to schedule time between and after classes to get up, get moving and get away from screens. You can set alarms — think of them as school bells — to get the little ones to go out for at-home recess.

Tip 4: Set reasonable time limits and reduce screen time after school

Do your kiddos go from one screen — their classroom — directly to another one, like tablets, phones and video games? We get it, they want to relax and many parents want their children to be occupied while they work from home. Plus, many children stay connected to their friends through online chatting and gaming. Still, it’s worth setting ground rules. For example, you could limit “fun” screen time for after getting their schoolwork done or only in the evening.

Tip 5: Plan off-screen activities for the whole family

If your kids are learning remotely, there’s a good chance you’re working from home too and you could use a screen break as well. So be sure to schedule some off-screen time; plan family activities like a hike, or stay inside on a rainy day with board games. It gives you time to unplug, connect with your family, and take a break from screens.