Screen Time and Green Time: Finding Balance in the Digital Age
Psychologist Carley McGauran shares practical ways families can balance screen time with “green time” to support healthy habits, connection and wellbeing.
In today’s digital world, it is almost impossible to avoid screen time. From online learning and entertainment to gaming and connecting with friends, technology is woven into many parts of children’s daily lives.
Screens can offer real benefits, but Carley McGauran, psychologist and cyber safety educator, believes it is important to balance screen time with what she calls “green time”.
“Green time and balancing that with screen time is going to help your kids set up healthy habits and routines that will support them while growing up in this digital world.”
What is green time?
Carley describes green time as activities that encourage children to engage with the world around them. This might include outdoor play, movement, social connection, mindfulness, creativity, reading or unstructured time.
For Carley, this idea is rooted in her own family routines with her three children, who are now teenagers. She describes green time as a non-negotiable part of childhood, just like other everyday health habits such as brushing teeth, eating nourishing food or getting enough sleep.
So, what can green time actually look like?
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Outdoor Time: Green time definitely includes traditional outside time, getting out and about in nature.
Moving Time: Carley encourages any kind of “moving time” that gets kids active. This could include riding a bike, playing a game of tag, kicking a ball, dancing in the lounge room or going for a walk
Mindfulness: It’s just about slowing down and tuning in. There is growing evidence around the benefits of mindfulness for children’s developing brains (and for all of us, really).
It might be playing with playdough, doing a jigsaw puzzle, listening to calming music or asking children to notice as many sounds as they can for two minutes while on a walk.
Social Time: For many children, screen time is often one of the ways they connect with friends. it is important think about how children can meet that same need for connection offline, too. This might be inviting a friend over, playing outside or doing something creative.
Reading Time: Some children naturally love to read, while others may need a little more encouragement. Carley suggests being creative when weaving reading into the day.
Some examples include reading a recipe, following instructions for a board game, noticing street signs or listening to an audiobook.
Unstructured (or “Boring”) Time: Carley is also a strong advocate for what children might call “boring time”.
This is unstructured time where screens are put away and kids are encouraged to find something to do on their own.
“At first, you’ll probably hear the whining and moaning, but give it a little time and their brains will naturally start to explore and be creative. Not only is feeling bored not a bad thing for our kids, it’s actually critical to their development.”
Finding the balance
Green time is not a one-size-fits-all approach. There are many ways families can build it into their week, depending on a child’s age, interests, needs and routines. Although Carley describes green time as a non-negotiable, it is not about strict schedules or rigid rules. It is about creating a balanced week that includes both screen time and healthy offline activities that support children’s development.
By weaving green time into daily life, families can help children build habits that keep them active, connected, creative and engaged with the world around them.
By Karly Smith