South Elementary K-1

Unplug, unwind, and have some fun!

Teachers and parents alike have seen the trend...kids of all ages glued to screens for entertainment, often for hours at a time. In fact, a Common Sense Media report in 2019 found that kids 8-12 experience almost five hours of screen exposure every day, and teens average almost 7.5 hours each day--and this is outside of school work!

To shed light on this concerning trend and to celebrate I Love to Read Month in February, K-8 students will have the opportunity to participate in weekly Bingo Unplugged challenges. Each week, students will bring home a bingo sheet filled with screen-free activities under the categories of Read, Play Outside, Create, Cook, and Hang Out. The goal is to encourage students and their families to carve out some device-free time at home and to engage in fun activities that don't involve staring at a screen.

Participation is simple. Students will get bingo sheets each Friday in February. They take home the sheets, and with their parents' supervision, complete at least one screen free entertainment activity each day. Parents or caregivers sign the bingo sheet and the student returns it to school the following Friday.

All students returning completed sheets are entered into a drawing to win a prize packet with a variety of coupons which may include a free donut from Dunkin Donuts, a free mini pizza from Papa Murphy's, a free meal at Panda Express, or a free game of bowling at the WOW Zone. Prize packets will also include small games, art supplies, or other screen-free entertainment.