Most of these changes will be baby steps… taking small steps will ensure a consistent change to a new routine. It will take a lot of patience and with that patience comes a good and structured routine. Establishing an amount of time for screen time while in bed. Starting off with 30 minutes of screen time the first week and then subtracting 5 minutes off of that 30 minutes every week (if your child is having trouble putting down technology before bed).
Week 1: 30 minutes
Week 2: 25 minutes
Week 3: 20 minutes
And so on
Once that time is up, electronics are put away and it is time to go to bed.
When the time is at zero minutes, start having electronics charged away from the bed. Far enough that they would have to get up to reach it. This is also a good technique for alarms and having to get up in the morning to turn off the alarm, rather than having the opportunity to snooze when it is on a nightstand.
A good habit for a bedtime routine is to drink a cold glass of water before bed. Cold temperature lets your body know that it is time to get warm and help decrease anxiety. If they are feeling restless during the night, getting up and walking around for 5-10 minutes and getting back into bed helps reset the brain and blood flow. They can also go drink a cold glass of water and/or stretch during the 5-10 minutes that they are up and walking around. Stretching is another great way to let your body and mind relax and slow down. A lot of kids who stay up too late have high anxiety. It is ok to ask before bed what their worries are and what is keeping them up at night. Saying these thoughts out loud help with relieving stress and help process those thoughts a lot easier. There are cold pillows and weighted blankets that can be added to their coping strategies around anxiety and their bedtime/sleep routine.
Video games to check out:
Monopoly – Math and finance
Tetris – Geometry in motion
Kerbal Space Program – Physics planetary and space ( This is a really fun game it makes you think and calculate it is also good for all ages.)
Flower – PS only though, “Flower” isn’t a traditional video game in any sense of the word. You press buttons and move around a little joystick, but it’s more of a meditative experience than anything. An interactive poem, maybe.” – businessinsider
Fez- It is the perfect game to throw in when you just need to chill out. “Fez” is more about the act of exploring, finding secrets, and taking in the scenery within its massive world.