Unplug this Holiday Season
This holiday season, we hope you have many opportunities to unplug with friends, family and loved ones. We also hope that some of the tools from New Canaan Unplugged come in handy to make those gatherings feel more connected. In today’s newsletter, we offer some thoughts around making gift giving more intentional and provide some unplugged gift ideas!
INTENTIONAL GIFT GIVING
How we introduce technology is as important as what we introduce. If you're considering giving a smartphone or tablet as a gift, remember that the child will likely perceive the technology as “theirs” personally.
It’s important to establish age-appropriate guidelines from the beginning and consider introducing the phone as a "family phone" rather than as a gift to the child. As a reminder, Saxe Schools have gone phone-free, which means students must secure all devices (phones and smartwatches) in a Yondr pouch until dismissal.
And finally, if you’re thinking about introducing a gaming console or a new game, we encourage you to play it together with your child. This will help you gain a solid understanding of the game’s content and provide an opportunity to engage with your child while modeling self-awareness.
UNPLUGGED GIFT IDEAS
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
- A simple watch like a Timex or Shark Freestyle
- Walkie-talkies
- Easy-to-pack games for a restaurant or the beach, like Tenzi, Uno, Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza, Exploding Kittens, a boogie board
- A screen-free music player like the Spotify Mighty
- Indoor-safe ball like Olly Ball
- Puzzles, a deck of cards or activity books like Mad Libs or sudoku
- Storytime player such as a Yoto
MIDDLE SCHOOL
- A Polaroid camera or a digital camera, like the Kodak PixPro
- A Kindle
- A desktop computer set up in a common area of the house
- An old fashioned alarm clock that just tells time
HIGH SCHOOL
- A distraction-free digital note-taking tool, like the reMarkable tablet
- A fancy 'dumb phone,' like the Light phone
EXPERIENCES (For All Ages!)
- Six Flags New England
- The Adventure Park at Discovery Museum
- Indoor Zipline & Rope Course, It at Jordans
- Storm King Art Center, NY outdoor sculpture park
- Eli Whitney Museum and pizza comparison in New Haven (Frank Pepe vs Sally's vs Modern)
- The Bruce Museum in Greenwich, CT
- The Norwalk Maritime Aquarium
- Local hiking (e.g. Ward Pound Ridge, etc.)
- The Beardsley Zoo
- Art shows at the Waveny Carrige Barn
ARTICLES WORTH YOUR TIME:
Australia’s social media ban sparks anger and relief
Congress moves forward on the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA)
Jonathan Haidt and Hoda Kobt talk about creating healthier childhoods
Help New Canaan Unplug
If you are interested in creating a healthier relationship with technology for our children, please check out our survey HERE to let us know how you can help.
New Canaan Unplugged is a parent-run group completely independent from the New Canaan Public School System and the Town of New Canaan.
