Analog August: 10 easy paths to less screen time with your nanny kids

Summer has a way of slowing everything down. Why not lean in?

Let summer slow you down

The school year is full of schedules, homework, and rushing from one activity to the next, with kiddos often glued to their digital devices like a favorite stuffy (us too, frankly). August, though? It's the perfect excuse to lean into something simpler, and that’s what we want you to do today.

If you’re a nanny with us here at Smart Sitting, you already know we have clear guidelines around screen use while you're on the job: unnecessary personal phone use should be avoided, and children shouldn't have screen time unless it's part of the family's routine or specifically requested by parents. Those expectations exist for good reason: they help keep children safe, engaged, and connected to you.

But this isn't another post about the rules.

Instead, consider this an invitation: make August your Analog August.

What is Analog August?

In August, summer has truly started to sink in. Everyone’s a little more chill, the evenings are long, the regular rules go out the window a little bit – in the best way. 
That makes it a perfect time for a little screen detox. You don’t have to make it official, but by being a little more mindful of accidental screen usage and finding fun ways for the kids to be lured away from their digital devices, you can help create great summer memories – and let their brains rest from the screens without even thinking about it. 

Remember: You're better than a screen

One of the wonderful (and challenging!) things about nannying is that *you* are part of the activity.

Children don't just remember the craft you made or the park you visited. They remember that you laughed with them, noticed the funny bug on the sidewalk, joined the pretend tea party, or pushed them "one more time" on the swing.

Your attention is one of the most valuable things you bring to work, and honestly, this can often be the most fun part of the job.

Screens get in the way of your relationship

Research has found that when adults are focused on their phones, interactions with children become less frequent and less responsive. Even short glances at a screen can interrupt the back-and-forth conversations that help relationships grow. 

That doesn’t sound like engaging nannying. 

But the following 10 tips sure do.

10 easy ideas for Analog August

You don't need elaborate Pinterest crafts or expensive outings. Often, the simplest ideas become the biggest hits. Here are 10 ways to stay off the screens and recharge, old-school style. 

1. Create a nature collection

Collect interesting leaves, feathers, rocks, flowers, or pinecones and make a mini museum when you get home. Put them in a shoe box and divide the museum into different “rooms”. 

2. Become sidewalk chalk artists

Draw roads for toy cars, obstacle courses, giant board games, or colorful murals together. Bring toy cars to drive on these elaborate roads, or use a polaroid to take fun pictures in front of the murals. 

3. Visit the library

Many libraries offer free summer reading programs, story times, scavenger hunts, and air-conditioned adventures. It’s our go-to here at Smart Sitting when the New York summer gets unbearably hot. 

4. Say yes to water

A sprinkler, buckets, water balloons, a splash pad, or simply washing toy cars outside can fill an entire afternoon. Adapt to where you are. Maybe there’s a pool or beach nearby? Or the local park has its sprinklers on? This is a great way to forget all about the iPad they didn’t bring! 

5. Pack a picnic

Even lunch feels special when it's eaten on a blanket at the park. Pack the picnic together, letting your kiddo pick their favorite fruit or even practice slicing cucumbers, if it’s age appropriate. That makes for a whole-day activity that requires both hands with no time for thumb wars! 

6. Craft corner

Are you a crafty nanny? Bring your skills to the forefront for a day of making friendship bracelets, cardboard castles, homemade play dough, or paper airplanes. These all encourage creativity, focus and fun without needing batteries.

7. Read one more book

If it’s easier to choose a book than a screen, kids will do it. Make it fun and accessible by keeping a basket of books kid-level at home or going to the library to pick out favorites. Make an excursion of it, selecting a few books to take out to the shady spot under a tree (maybe even books about trees or other things that happen outside?). For older kids, reading separately alongside one another can be really restoring and a surprising way to connect. 

8. Go on a color walk

Put your minds to work with a colorful scavenger hunt! Can you find ten yellow things? Five circles? Every letter of the alphabet? Adapt the game to your kiddos’ ages and participate yourself to really connect. 

9. Running games!

Hide-and-seek. Freeze tag. Red Light, Green Light. Duck, Duck, Goose. Sometimes the classics are classics for a reason. Can you keep up?

10. Embrace a little boredom

Looking back on your own summers as a kid, do you remember the freedom of not really having to do anything? Sometimes it feels illegal nowadays, but it really isn’t. Turns out, boredom is a great starter for kids! 

Some of the best imaginative play starts with an unstructured afternoon and seeing where the world takes you. If your charge starts leaning toward opting for a screen to beat the boredom, jump a step ahead and head outside. The ideas will come to you both. 

Remember: put your own phone away 

We know. Everyone checks their phone without thinking. But children notice.

When you're scrolling, replying to messages, or checking social media, they often stop trying to engage with you (or they create an often unruly distraction to get your attention back). That’s why we tell Smartsitters not to be on their phone at all during working hours, except as needed to be in touch with the parents. If you’re out and about and need to check directions, let the child know what you’re doing. That goes a long way in helping you understand that you didn’t just pick up your phone because that’s the go-to in a quiet moment. 

Maybe doing Analog August with your nanny families will have you rethinking your own screen time at home. Can you replace some of that tiresome scrolling with something more fun? 

Create a summer of memories – professionally

The cool thing about nannying (well, one of many!) is that you get to embrace the fun of childhood while on the clock! We say lean into that. Build a summer of memories with your charges, making up silly songs or building sand castles at the playground, all while recharging before fall comes back with its demands on your time. 

And if you’re looking for a new nanny job, look our way! We connect sitters and nannies with the kinds of jobs they’re looking for, always making careful matches between caregivers and families for the chance at the best possible working relationship. 

If you’re an experienced, exceptional childcare professional, we want to hear from you. Tell us about yourself via the button below, and if we think we can help you find a nanny job, we’ll be in touch!

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