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Reduce the amount of time your family spends in front of a screen

  1. Track it. Health Canada recommends kids spend no more than two hours a day in front of screen (TV, computer, video games). How much screen time does your family get every day? How much time do you spend being active? Track screen time with this log.

  2. Talk to your children. Explain to your kids that it's important to sit less and move more to be healthy. Talk about the benefits of physical activity for the body and how it can improve their readiness for school.

    Read about the link between screen time and obesity.

    Get tips for reducing screen time

  3. Set priorities and make a schedule. Make a list of everything your kids need to do during the day – including physical activity. If your child goes to school, decide together what should be done first when they get home. Discuss the best time for doing homework, physical activity and any other activities.  

    Get tips for squeezing physical activity into your busy schedule

  4. Establish screen time limits. As a family set a maximum amount of screen time. Make sure you enforce the rule once it's set and stick to it yourself. Teach the importance of making a choice between 2 shows instead of watching both.

    Read Canada's new guidelines for sedentary behaviour

  5. Limit the number of TV sets in your home. More televisions mean more choices for viewing. Limiting the number of sets limits the viewing time of interest to family members.

  6. Keep computers and televisions out of kid’s rooms. Experts don’t recommend putting TVs or computers in your child's bedroom. Children who have TVs in their room tend to watch 1 ½ hours more TV in a typical day than kids without a set in their room. Putting a computer in a family area of the home can help limit wasted or unhealthy surfing on commuters.

    Read more from the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute.

  7. Provide other options and alternatives. Offer to play outside with your children or invite a friend to play outside. Walk the dog, do a craft, learn a sport, or play an active game.

    Check out Saskatchewan in motion’s Active Toy Guide and our active vacation guide

  8. Make meal time, family time. Turn off the TV during family meal time. Better yet, remove the TV from the eating area altogether.

  9. Be an active role model and interact with your kids. Set a good example and limit your screen time. Spend time with your family doing something fun and active.

  10. Be active while watching TV. You can be active even if you are watching TV. Stretch, do yoga, lift hand weights while watching TV; challenge the family to see who can do the most push-ups, jumping jacks or leg lifts during commercial breaks.

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