Screen Free Week 2008
Unplug and Play!
From April 21-27, millions of people across the country will participate in Screen Free Week. The goal of Screen Free Week is to promote active living, reduce sedentary behaviors and motivate kids, families, and adults to turn off non-educational “screen time” for a week. The long term goal is to help families moderate the use of TV/screen time and live more active and healthy lives. For more information on Screen Free Week, visit: www.tvturnoff.org.
Why Should You Care about Limiting TV or Screen Time?
Study after study demonstrate reducing television, videos, electronic games and recreational use of computers is a leading way to reduce obesity, increase literacy and standardized test scores and dramatically curtail acts of violence and bullying.
Did you know…
- The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends no television or videos for children two years and under, no more than two hours of total quality screen time for older children and no TVs in children’s bedrooms.
- Youth today spend more time in front of the TV, video and computer than they spend on anything else besides sleeping.
- A recent study found that there were over 200 ads for junk food during four hours of Saturday morning TV cartoons.
- Youth exposed to TV violence increasingly accept the use of violence to solve problems.
- Author Richard Louv in his book, Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature Deficit Disorder argues that kids are so plugged into television and video games that they've lost their connection to the natural world.
Collaborate with local schools, parent groups, and community partners to celebrate and promote a Screen Free Week event. Possible local partners could include:
- schools and libraries
- outdoor education groups
- museums and theater groups
- youth groups
- parks and recreation
- local newspaper or radio station
Daily events could include dance parties, scavenger hunts, theater & musical performances, storytelling, as well as fun active indoor and outdoor family activities. Incentives such as prizes and special events could be planned for kids that go “screen free” for a week!
Start planning today for a fun and active week of celebration. For more information on how you can participate, please call:
Montana Nutrition and Physical Activity Program, Cathy Costakis: (406) 994-5734, or e-mail
Unplug and Play Mini Grants — please check out this funding opportunity to reduce TV and screen time in child care settings and homes. — Unplug and Play Mini Grants
Please share this great flyer Screen Time: Limiting time spent with TV, computers and the Internet created by Children’s Hospital & Regional Medical Center in Seattle, WA. — Seattle flyer
Get some great ideas for newsletters, tips for parents and schools, and fact sheets from this great resource created by Doernbecher Children’s Hospital and Kaiser Permanente — TVTO Collection
Get some great ideas for TV Turnoff for your after school programs from this resource created by the California Obesity Prevention Initiative and the CA Department of Health and Human Services — COPI TV Tool
Here is a great flyer with TV Turnoff “Rules to Live By” and “Tips for Success created by the Prevention Research Center at the Harvard School of Public Health — Take control of TV flyer
Please visit the Center for Screen Time Awareness for more great ideas on how to reduce TV and other screen time in your community — www.screentime.org
Please plan events in your community to celebrate TV/Screen Free Week. This year it falls on April 21-27. Please read this flyer for more information — Statewide flyer
Please come hear Dr. Dimitri Christakis, MD, MPH share research-based strategies to make TV and screen time work for your family. He will be at the Museum of the Rockies in Bozeman on April 2, 2008 at 7PM. — Dr. Christakis bio