How to Make Screen Time More Creative for Kids

How Screen Time Can Actually Be a Good Thing

Our kids love screens, that's just a fact of our modern life. It's a part of their world since birth. Debated in both schools and at home, we all have our own opinions on how much is too much and what is age appropriate. When I became a mom, I definitely noticed this quickly. Even little babies are drawn to the TV and our phones! I also noticed that there was a lot of good, educational content for kids, I just had to find it. It's much more difficult to filter out the junk than it was for our parents! This whole concept of quality screen time made a lot of sense to me. We can leverage it in our kid's favor.

 

The difference between Passive and Creative Screen Time

 Though learning about new things is one of the best ways to use the internet, could screen time also be creative time? What if instead of only absorbing content, kids were making their own content? You can find this in various ways. A big one on YouTube is kids watching art videos. Someone draws something and they can draw along with them. This is a popular genre, and my own son loves to watch different channels with this kind of content. This type of screen time I don't "count" as time spent just watching tv (passive). Since he is working and learning, and creating, I think this is a positive way to use his time.

Creative screen time is using your brain, developing talents, trying something new with the help of videos. This is a healthy part of a child's media diet. The passive type of screen time is about rest and relaxation, chilling out, just having fun. Nothing wrong with that but just like eating dessert, too much is a problem.

 

Is Screen Time Bad for Kids?

"I CAN'T DO IT!"

If your child is the creative type, they probably have tried some sketching and realized "this is a little harder than I thought! Drawing is such a satisfying skill to learn, but for kids especially, it can also be frustrating. What I've learned in teaching is the anxiety that comes from learning can be turned into confidence with the right encouragement. That's my philosophy and the technique I use with my video-guided, step-by-step drawing lessons and matching books, COLORSKILLS. Gently guiding kids as we draw together really helps to remove the pressure the feel and instead focus on moving past mistakes, practice, and quality screen time!

                 

Why Learning New Skills Can Feel Stressful for Kids

When kids try to learn a new skill, they often:

• Get overwhelmed by too many steps at once
• Worry about making mistakes
• Compare their work to others
• Quit right away when results don't match expectations

 

You've probably heard "this is too hard for me" more than once. Without a guide, it's easy for kids to believe this. But with some structure they will be surprised at how quickly they can do something new.

 

How Video Tutorials Reduce the Anxiety

Video-tutorials are a gamechanger. Your child might already like watching drawing videos online but with my books it really helps them take it from watching to doing. 

Instead of guessing what to do next, kids:

• Watch one small step at a time
• Pause or replay when needed
• Follow along at their own pace
• See that mistakes are part of the process

Because I show them each step (and all my own mistakes!), kids don't feel rushed or judged. They can focus on the enjoyment of drawing.

 How Creative Play Helps Kids Solve Problems

 

Why Step-by-Step Practice Builds Confidence

Confidence is seeing that your effort does make a difference.

Step-by-step drawing helps kids:

• Break big tasks into manageable pieces
• Experience frequent small wins
• Finish drawings they didn't think they could do
• See visible improvement over time -even just the 2^nd attempt can show great improvement!

Each completed drawing reinforces "I can learn this." This belief carries over into other skills, both creative and academic (I've seen this happen with my own son!)

 

Try a Free Drawing Page

 

Learning at Your Own Pace

Video instruction allows kids to feel in control.

They can:

• Erase as much as they want to!
• Rewatch difficult steps
• Practice the same drawing multiple times
• Return later without feeling behind

Eliminating the fear of falling behind means a lot to some kids who worry about disappointing. The videos are about 20 minutes long and can be watched as many times as they like.

 

Why Drawing Is a Great Way to Practice New Skills

Drawing is especially effective for confidence-building because:

• The best art is not like everyone else's
• Improvement is easy to see
• A creative outlet can last a lifetime
• Practice feels fun, not forced

Learning that persistence matters more than perfection is an important mindset that helps reduce anxiety across many areas of life.

 

Using Video-Guided Drawing Books at Home

Video tutorial drawing books combine the benefits of:

• Physical practice pages
• Clear step-by-step instruction
• Visual learning through video
• Independence

Parents can support learning without hovering, while kids feel empowered to learn on their own.

 

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