How to Create a Family Room and Get Kids Off Their Phones
It’s common knowledge that most kids these days would rather watch YouTube than hang out with their parents. With endless videos and constant entertainment, YouTube and similar platforms compete with you for your child’s attention. While electronics in moderation are not always bad, they are slowly replacing human interaction. As times change, parents need to adjust how they go about getting their families to spend quality time with one another. Creating a room dedicated to family time and making sure that it’s a space that all of you can enjoy is crucial if you want your kids to put down the electronics. Here are a few suggestions that will help you create the perfect environment for your family to unplug and unwind.
1. Choose Color Wisely
Neutrals tend to be what people gravitate towards when deciding what colors to paint their homes. However, the color scheme of your family space should be a little different than the rest of the house. Instead of warm tones, choose more vibrant colors. Deep reds and blues will make the area more eye-catching and bright, which is necessary because you want the room to be enticing to the family (mainly your kids!). You have a better chance of keeping them engaged if the space looks fun rather than boring. Drab colors will only promote a dreary environment instead of a lively exciting one, making it hard to have a good time. Have fun with the color combos and include your kids in the painting process to help them feel more involved.
2. Buy Comfortable Furniture
Whether you’re watching a movie together or playing a board game, having a comfortable place to sit in your family room is extremely important. You want pieces that promote togetherness and intimacy. Choose a quality sofa that is big enough to hold each of your family members so you can all sit near each other. Being closer to your loved ones is known to relieve stress and improve wellbeing. If you purchase more than one couch or ottoman, arrange them in a way that encourages conversation by turning each piece towards each other. That way, people are face to face, and it will prevent anyone from feeling excluded or left out of the conversation.
3. Add Some Games
Without electronics, your kids will need an alternative form of entertainment. The last thing you want is for them to be bored. When boredom sets in, they’ll most likely run right to their phones. Adding some classic board games to the space will give your kids something to focus on. While classic games are fun and may bring back a lot of nostalgia for you, make sure you include some newer age games too. Your children will be happy to have some more up to date games that they’ve maybe played at school or a friend’s house. Don’t limit yourself to just board games either. There are so many card games out there, with new ones popping up every day, so make some memories with your kids by letting them teach you some that they know and vice versa.
4. Incorporate Things Your Kids Love
Does your kid love soccer? Or ballet? Or music? You want your kids to want to be in this room, and what better way than to incorporate things they love in it. If your child likes soccer, then place some soccer decals on the walls. Or if they play an instrument, move it into the family room and watch them play. There are all kinds of fun ways to put the things your kids are passionate about in the room. Obviously, not all of your child’s hobbies are going to seamlessly fit into the decor of the space, and that’s okay. You don't need to crowd the space with instruments or have soccer balls lying everywhere. Just adding a few small and subtle details to the room can make all the difference to your child when deciding how to spend their time
5. Stash Away Phones
Phones are a huge distraction and are one of the biggest things in the way of family time. Have you ever been talking to your child only to realize they’re looking down at their phone? It’s something that has happened to most parents and will probably happen again. While you don’t need to take your child's phone away indefinitely, make the family room a No Phone Zone. To make it easier, find a container or box big enough to fit everyone’s electronics and put them inside. A decorative container will help make stashing electronics away seem more fun and less harsh. Also, turn your phones on silent mode, so notification bells don’t tempt anyone.
The idea of a family room that doesn’t focus on electronics may not go over well at first. However, if you transform it into a space that your kids love, they won’t even notice what they’re missing. Instead, they’ll be focused on making new memories, laughing, and enjoying family time in your new space.