With Thanksgiving approaching next week and the kids enjoying a few days off from school, Engage the Brain thought we’d share some of our favorite activities to do in place of watching television or playing video games.

Watching excessive television, whether you are a child or an adult, truly is a bad habit. And as we all know, breaking bad habits can be a difficult thing to do. As parents, setting limits on how much daily, digital media you child can consume is a good place to start.

But rather than focus on all the research and negatives associated with television and video games, we want to suggest some alternatives. Children need direction and suggestions. Start small. Instead of watching one TV program, ask your child to select one activity. That way you are not demanding your child go “cold turkey” for five days.

It’s important to remind parents the power of modeling. Children do what their parents do. Don’t just send your child off to their room to draw a picture while you sneak in another episode of Orange is the New Black on your tablet. Most of the activities listed below are meant to be family activities. They provide opportunities to bond with and learn more about you child’s life away from the home.

The Activities

Talk

Simply sit at the kitchen table or pull up some comfy chairs in the family room and have a conversation. The Children’s Museum of Richmond offers the following prompts to get you going:

• What’s your favorite movie?
• Who’s your favorite actor/ actress?
• Where’s the funnest place you’ve ever been?
• What would you buy with $25?
• If you were invisible where would you go and what would you do?
• If you could be a famous athlete, actor, writer or musician which would you choose and why?
• If you could invent one thing what would it be?

Play Games

Playing cards or board games brings out the competitive fire in even the shyest people. On top of having fun, games provide a great opportunity to model appropriate social skills: taking turns, listening while some else speaks, winning and losing graciously.

Read

Whether it is a physical book or on a tablet or e-reader, encouraging your child to read for 30 minutes pays dividends. Children who read for pleasure consistently outscore those who don’t on standardized tests. And remember: reading is reading so allow magazines, graphic novels (Diary of a Wimpy Kid, anyone?) or comic books.

Paint or draw

Even the least artistic kids enjoy coloring and drawing. Coloring books are inexpensive as are a supply of crayons, markers and drawing paper. Join in the fun. Make self- portraits of each other.

Listen to music

A great way to bond with your kids is to share each other’s music. I’m always excited to be introduced to new musical artists from my daughter. And I’m always anxious to share a new song by an old group that I think my daughter will enjoy.

Play tourist in your hometown

This obviously takes longer than 30 minutes, but during the Thanksgiving week you my find yourself with extra time. Rather than binge watch the Disney Channel, seek out a spot in town your family enjoys visiting. It could be a museum or a park or a historical location.

Volunteer

Another activity that takes longer than 30 minutes, volunteering is a wonderful way for your family to spend part of the holiday week. Seek out a cause that is personal to your family, research organizations in your area, and then make plans to volunteer. It sends so many positive messages to your child.

Wrapping it Up

It’s so easy to turn the television on to watch one program. Inevitably one program turns into two, three or more. Before you know it several hours have past and you will never get that time back.

Start small. Ask your child to replace one 30-minute block of television with one of these activities. Bad habits will take time to break. Embrace the opportunity to rid yourself of unnecessary television viewing. Who knows, maybe by the end of the holidays your family will have reduced its TV viewing and increased its bond and appreciation for each other.