Besrey - Aug 28 2025
How to Reduce Your Kids' Screen Time with Outdoor Fun
Screens have become a part of our everyday life. They’re drastically changing how children are growing up, leading them to spend less time outdoors, with increasing concerns about the mental and physical impact of a childhood spent in front of a screen.
Outdoor play has never been more important. It has a positive impact on every aspect of your child’s development, from improving their motor skills to supporting cognitive development and boosting their imagination.
At Besrey, we believe the best way to reduce your child’s screen time is to get them excited about outdoor play with toys like our 5-in-1 Tricycle. It’s a safe and fun way to improve your child’s development by spending more time outdoors. In this post, we’re sharing our tips on how to reduce screen time and ways to make outdoor play part of your daily routine.
Why Reducing Your Kid’s Screen Time Matters
It’s easy to hand your child an iPad or tablet to keep them occupied, but it can have a negative long-term impact on their development. Experts recommend that children under 2 have no screen time, while children aged 2 to 12 should have one hour of screen time per day. These recommendations are significantly less than the average seven to ten hours that children spend looking at screens every day.
Although technology and smart devices can be educational tools, children who spend too much time in front of a screen can struggle with their cognitive, linguistic, and social-emotional growth. Children with a high daily screen time are more likely to deal with mental health conditions, sleep disorders, obesity, and have a lower attention span, which can pose challenges during their school years.
6 Proven Ways to Reduce Your Toddler’s Screen Time
You don’t need to remove screens from your daily routine entirely. Instead, it’s best to start slowly reducing your child’s screen time and replacing it with outdoor play. We’re sharing 6 proven ways to succeed in lowering screen time.
1. Set Clear Screen Time Boundaries
Children need structure at every age. Instead of instantly removing devices, start by setting clear time limits for screen time. You might start by giving them their device for an hour after dinner or thirty minutes in the morning. You can start reducing this time further once your child adjusts to having a lower screen time.
2. Lead by Example and Reduce Your Device Usage
Your children pick up your habits, whether it’s slurping their milk or reaching for an iPad at the breakfast table. Lead by example and minimize your device usage, especially in front of your children. Switch your screen for a book, board game, or a practical hobby like baking.
3. Create a Screen-Free Schedule or Zones
Having a screen-free schedule or zone in your house can provide structure. Keep devices out of sight during this time to avoid temptation. Communal areas of your home, such as your kitchen table, should be screen-free zones, helping to aid your child’s relationship-building skills.
4. Offer Fun Alternatives to Screens with Play and Outdoor Fun
The best way to succeed at reducing your child’s screen time is to fill their time with other activities, including outdoor play. If you have a small backyard space, you can find parks, local playgrounds, and family-friendly areas to explore with your kids. Make outdoor play exciting by choosing different activities, from strawberry picking to visiting a trampoline park or arranging an outdoor playdate with friends.
5. Make Outdoor Play Exciting with a Tricycle
It’s never too early to get your child interested in the great outdoors. Our 5-in-1 tricycle makes it easy to bring your child along for nature walks, trips to the beach, and running errands.
The backrest and safety belt give added peace of mind, keeping your child comfortable during long days outdoors, with a compact design that makes it easy to fold into your car. It’s the perfect option for kids who aren’t old enough for a scooter, or if you want the option to push your child around if they get tired throughout the day.
6. Get Involved in Outdoor Activities with Your Kids
Spending more time outdoors with your kids can help you enjoy the benefits of lower screen time, including reduced stress, improved sleep quality, and enhanced productivity. It’s a win-win, making your kid excited to spend quality time with you while helping them meet developmental milestones.
How Outdoor Play Helps Replace Screen Time for Kids
Simply reducing your child’s screen time isn’t enough, and you shouldn’t demonize screens. We live in an era where technology can drastically improve our lives when used correctly. While you’re reducing your child’s screen time, shift your focus to getting them to spend more time outdoors.
When children are presented with options like visiting a park or riding their tricycle, they forget about their screens. Outdoor play is an easy way to distract them from technology and ensure they meet their developmental milestones.
The developmental aspects that are negatively impacted by screens are positively supported by outdoor play, including boosting concentration, improving social skills, and encouraging physical activity. Are you struggling to get your toddler away from their iPad? Get them outdoors with a tricycle instead.
The Importance of Making Outdoor Time a Daily Habit
Changing your lifestyle can feel overwhelming, but there are practical things you can do to implement screen-free time for your kids and encourage outdoor play. A tricycle is the perfect way to get your child excited about being outside, while investing in waterproof clothes can help them play outdoors all year long.
Introducing a reward system, such as a daily gold star, can add extra structure to make it easier to limit your child’s screen time. You can choose rewards involving outdoor play, such as a trip to the park or a day at the beach. Making outdoor time a part of your daily routine will help your child build healthy habits for the future.
Switch Screens for Outdoor Play with a Besrey 5-in-1 Tricycle
As a parent, you want to set your child up for a happy and healthy future. Switching screentime for outdoor play is the best way to have a positive long-term impact on your child’s future. At Besrey, we make it easy to take your child outside every day. Shop the Besrey 5-in-1 Tricycle to get your child excited about the great outdoors, and explore our blog for more parenting advice.
