What is Screen-Free Week?
Screen-Free Week is an annual invitation to play, explore, and rediscover the joys of life beyond ad-supported screens. From April 29 to May 5, 2019, thousands of families, schools, and communities around the world will put down their entertainment screens for seven days of fun, connection, and discovery.
Even though it’s about turning off screens, Screen-Free Week isn’t about going without – it’s about what you can get! An hour once dedicated to YouTube becomes an hour spent outside; ten minutes wiled away on social media turn into ten minutes spent doodling; a movie on a rainy afternoon is replaced by time spent reading, chatting, or playing pretend!
You can celebrate Screen-Free Week at home, in your school, in your community, or anywhere – just put down those entertainment screens and do literally anything else! You might be surprised at what you find.
(“Entertainment screens” means that you can’t use Screen-Free Week as an excuse not to do your homework or your job. But if you’re a teacher or boss, you can help everyone celebrate by reducing the amount of screen-based work you assign!)
Want to plan an event? Register here to get updates, tips, resources, and more!
Want to find an event? Check our map to find screen-free celebrations near you!
Need a little more info? Explore our resources or check out our blog to hear from people who have unplugged and loved it.
Why Screen-Free Week?
It was this displacement that worried Henry Labalme and Matt Pawa when they created TV Turnoff Week in 1994. Over the years, millions of kids and families joined Henry and Matt in turning off their TVs and going outside, playing, and having screen-free fun. In 2010, TV Turnoff Week became Screen-Free Week and it found a new home at Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood.
Not only does Screen-Free Week allow people to enjoy time away from news feeds, targeted ads, and autoplay videos, but it gives families and communities an opportunity to come together and connect with each other. Don’t just listen to us, though – hear from Screen-Free Week participants themselves!
Welles Park during Screen-Free Week 2017.
–Originally published on screenfree.org