It’s all too easy for parents to just let the kids play on a screen during the summer holidays – especially on long journeys when letting them blow off steam outside isn’t an option.
But ITV This Morning’s Georgina Burnett is urging mums and dads to spend at least some time getting creative with their kids by asking them to set their devices aside and do a bit of crafting instead.
New research by Trainline has found more than two-thirds (67%) of parents think their children’s creativity is impacted by too much screen time and are looking for new activities to do with their kids this summer, and nearly a third of parents said they find it difficult to keep their children entertained and off their devices.
So mum-of-two Burnett, who regularly presents home improvement, decluttering and styling slots on This Morning, has teamed up with Trainline to create a Train Crafting Guide, packed with crafty ideas that can be used on long train journeys or at home to stave off boredom for younger children like Burnett’s, who has a nine-year-old daughter and four-year-old son.
“I think one thing my kids love about doing crafting with me is they get my attention,” she says. “And when kids are playing up, what I’ve noticed so often is that actually they just want attention.
“And the other thing I really started to realise is that it’s relaxing for me as well – the crafting is so simple that I don’t have to think about it, and I find that I’m switching off from thoughts of work or general adult worries, and I’m just there in the moment with them. And I think they really notice that, and they benefit from it.”
Of course, crafting is a lovely, wholesome idea, but the reality is that many parents find it much easier to just let their kids play on screens, particularly on long train journeys. Burnett gets that, but says she’s found setting limits on screen time in advance to be helpful.
“So many parents find it difficult to keep kids off the screens – it’s a fairly addictive thing,” she acknowledges. “But I’ve always felt that the more screen time my children have, the more difficult it is to get them to do non-screen activities. I’ve pulled away a lot more and I give them a time limit on when they have screens.
“I’ve seen it first-hand with both my children that if I say today we’re having no screen time whatsoever, I find we have a far more relaxed day. We’re out and about, we’re doing things together, you know, eye contact and everything.”
Burnett, a single parent, agrees that limiting screen time is not the easy option, but she firmly believes that being strict about it makes things a lot easier further down the line.
“I find I just have to be quite militant about it,” she admits. “They know that when I say you only get x amount of time on your screen, that no amount of whingeing is going to change my mind. I set those kind of parameters in place at the start of the day, or even the day before.
“It’s almost like they know where they stand, and I have to stand my ground, and that seems to work for them. It’s when you’re thinking ‘I can’t be bothered with the battle’ that they know they’re going to get a little bit of leeway, and that makes it harder.
“I think it’s about ripping off the plaster at the beginning to not have the pain further down the line.”
To make up for reduced screen time, Burnett is urging parents to get their kids crafting, both on long train journeys and at home, and says her simple crafting ideas are ideal because many of them use the same items, like glue and scissors, and they can all fit in a small bag ready to take on a journey if necessary.
“Hopefully we’ve made it as easy as possible for people, because the last thing you need as parents in the summer holidays is extra hassle,” she says.
“It doesn’t matter on the ability of your kids, or yourself, because one of the lovely things is that you don’t have to be artistic to be able to do these.
“I’d be led by by your children – sometimes you might think ‘I’m going to be a super parent here, I’m going to do this really well’, but actually, the way of keeping everybody happy is just letting the kids take the lead, so if they get bored halfway through and they want to do something else, or they just want to take a break, they can do.”
Burnett’s top five train crafting activities are…
1. Decorating holiday items
Transform everyday buckets , or even wellies, into magical holiday art with waterproof decorations, glue, and your child’s imagination.
2. Toilet roll animals
Turn toilet rolls into cute animals with coloured pens, paper, and a little bit of imagination.
3. Sticker dot art
Get your children to create vibrant, non-messy scenes by adding colourful sticker dots to their drawings, transforming them into imaginative masterpieces.
4. Embroidered bags
Use thread, wool and pencils to transform tote bags into fun, vibrant creations.
5. Magic clay animals
Using magic clay, get your child to choose their favourite animal and make it come to life through moulding the clay.
Georgina Burnett has teamed up with Trainline to produce the Train Crafting Guide.
