Swapping Screen Time for Green Time

Skimming stones, leaf races down the river. Mud squelching through little toes, squinty eyes, peering into the shallows looking for yabbies. Pocket magnifying glasses whipped out, discovering treasures hidden under stone and bark. It’s the stuff childhood dreams are made of, right? 

Yet how many of us wistfully recall those carefree days of our own childhood and despair that our kids today are just not getting enough of that?  

Kids are kids, across cultural, geographical, and generational divides. They are curious, inquisitive, quick learners and brimming with potential. However, there is one thing that sets this generation of young people apart from any other: They are digital natives. They have never known a time without access to digital technology. Smartphones, tablets, computers, the latest in gaming technology – you name it, they’re across it all and they’ve never lived without it. Even on road trips, many have swapped books and ‘eye-spy’ games out the window for movies and games on iPads or car DVD players. 

Throw in the last two years of Covid lockdowns, isolation and home learning – much of which was done on Zoom meetings and online classrooms – and it’s a veritable ‘hot mess’ on the screen time front. Scores of parents and caregivers who themselves are time-poor and overstretched, feel frustrated and helpless to curb the increasing amounts of time on devices and the potentially addictive habits that come with it. 

The reality is we are all spending an increasing amount of time indoors and only a fraction of our day outdoors. Our ‘Nature Deficit Syndrome’ is at an all-time high. 

It may be time to swap the screen time for some ‘green time’ – get off grid for a few days and reset. 

Thankfully, that doesn’t require you booking an overseas trip and hoping your luggage turns up before your holiday is over (that’s a real place right now!). 

Sugarloaf and River Cottage are just two of the Tiny Homes in Joadja, just one and a half hours from Sydney and 30 minutes from Bowral in the picturesque Southern Highlands of NSW. These Eco aware homes, a stone’s throw from the Wingecarribee River, are perfect for families who just need to get away for a few days and reconnect with each other and nature without the constant pull of screens and technology. Bushwalks, foraging, toasting marshmallows around the firepit and naming the constellations in the night sky, might be just what the doctor ordered. 

There are numerous health and well-being studies that attest to ‘Green time’ of at least 120 minutes per week, having huge benefits for both children and adults. In fact, a recent study conducted by researchers at the University of Tokyo suggests that it’s much more beneficial than originally thought and discovered 227 links to nonmaterial ‘pathways’ that benefit wellbeing, described as intangible contributions by nature.1 

Time spent in nature enhances creativity, lowers stress and anxiety, improves attentiveness and mental acuity, improves sleep, reduces respiratory illnesses, promotes social connectedness, builds empathy, and the list goes on. Plus, it’s a real-world learning experience that is open to everyone.  

With extended time outdoors, children emerge exhilarated and energised. Faces flushed and eyes shining, they are the kings and queens of finding awe and wonder in anything when out exploring in nature. They may need a nudge or two to swap their screen time for green time and get out and find it.  

The best thing is you don’t have to go far. Book your stay today at Tiny Homes Joadja.