Rediscovering the Magic of Togetherness: Our Approach to Reducing Screen Time This Christmas
As the festive season draws near, it’s easy to picture cosy family moments filled with laughter, conversation, and the warmth of shared traditions. Yet, the reality can often look a little different. Screens have a way of quietly dominating the room, and with the grey British weather making it so tempting to stay indoors, it’s often easier to let devices like phones, tvs or ipads take over. At Liberty Woodland School, we understand this pull. Screens are convenient, entertaining, and sometimes the simplest option when the days are short and cold. But we also know that stepping back from them, even for a little while, can lead to a Christmas that feels more connected, meaningful, and memorable.
Screens are a part of life now, and there’s no need to banish them altogether. A Christmas movie shared as a family, or a video call with relatives who can’t join you for Christmas, can enhance the season’s joy. The key is balance—choosing to make time for moments where we are fully present with each other. These moments of connection are where the magic of Christmas truly resides.
When parents take the lead by setting aside devices, they send a powerful message to their children. They show that time spent together—sharing a meal, walking outdoors, or creating something as a family—is valuable and worth protecting. It’s these small but meaningful moments that often become the most treasured memories.
The festive season offers a chance to focus on what truly matters: connection, gratitude, and togetherness. Reducing screen time helps us to engage with the people around us in a deeper way. Screens, after all, can create a quiet sense of separation, even when we’re all in the same room. By intentionally taking breaks from them, we open up space to strengthen relationships. Playing a board game, decorating the tree, or baking mince pies together becomes an opportunity to enjoy each other’s company without distractions.
Even with the cold, often damp weather making it easy to stay indoors, reconnecting with nature can refresh both mind and spirit. A short winter walk can bring so much more than fresh air. It might mean collecting holly and pine cones to decorate the house, climbing trees, or simply enjoying the crispness of wrapping up warm on a winter's day. Children, in particular, thrive in these moments of exploration, and at Liberty Woodland School, we see every day how the natural world inspires curiosity and lifts the mood.
Perhaps the most important part of reducing screen time is the example it sets. Children naturally take their cues from adults. When they see parents prioritising conversations over scrolling, creativity over convenience, or outdoor adventures over television, they learn to do the same. This kind of modelling is one of the simplest and most effective ways to teach children the value of presence and connection.
It doesn’t have to be a matter of all or nothing. Reducing screen time is about using technology thoughtfully and making space for moments where it takes a back seat. Baking mince pies together, playing card games, or crafting homemade decorations are simple, hands-on activities that children are likely to remember far longer than any app or video. A family film night, complete with popcorn and hot chocolate, can be a lovely way to use screens intentionally and with purpose. Even a short outing, like a brisk walk or a visit to the park, can break up routines, lift spirits, and create shared experiences that don’t require a plug or charger.
At Liberty Woodland School, our values—gratitude, curiosity, resilience, and connection—are woven into everything we do. These same principles can guide how families approach the festive season. Gratitude can be as simple as pausing to appreciate the glow of fairy lights or the sound of laughter during a family game. Curiosity might mean exploring new traditions or noticing the beauty in winter’s stillness. Resilience is found in the effort it sometimes takes to bundle up and head outdoors rather than settling into the sofa with a device. And connection, of course, is the thread that ties it all together: being truly present with the people who matter most.
Reducing screen time isn’t about strict rules or restrictions. It’s about making intentional choices that give priority to what’s most important. By stepping back from the digital world, even briefly, we create space for meaningful conversations, shared meals, and time together that feels unhurried and genuine.
This Christmas, we encourage families to reflect on what makes this time special and to embrace opportunities for togetherness. The memories made through connection—whether over a festive dinner, on a chilly walk, or while decorating the house—are the ones that will last long after the season has passed.
