Featured Programs & Activities
Smart Screen Time Initiatives in Washington State

 

Additional Resources

Living Outside the Box

Living Outside the Box provides conclusions and smart screen time strategies based on a survey of more than 500 TV-free families. The book illustrates the role and impact of screens in health and provides recommendations and strategies for families.

Homes	Parents	1,2,4 Policy Stages Key

For more information

• Author: Barbara Brock, PHD
  Department of Physical Education, Health & Recreation
  Eastern Washington University
  Publisher: Eastern Washington University Press, 2007

 

The Elephant in the Living Room: Make Television Work for Your Kids

The Elephant in the Living Room provides a detailed explanation of the effects of television viewing on kids emotional, mental, and physical development including evidence that television can be a tool for entertainment, education, and socialization. The book summarizes current research and includes screen time recommendations and tips for families and educators.

Schools, Homes	Educators, Parents	1,2,4 Policy Stages Key

For more information

• Authors: Dimitri Christakis, Frederick Zimmerman
  Publisher: Rodale Press, 2006
• Web: www.maketvwork.com

 

The State of Washington's Children 2006-2007: Weighing in on Health & Fitness in Washington

The State of Washington's Children (SWC), is an annual report that features statistics concerning the economic well-being, education, health, family and community, and safety and security of children in Washington State.The 2006-2007 report examines the issue of overweight in Washington's children and families and highlights the impact of screen use.

SWC is produced by the University of Washington School of Public Health and Community Medicine in collaboration with the Human Services Policy Center. This report is part of the Washington Kids Count Project, which receives major funding from the Annie E. Casey Foundation.

Government, Public Health Agencies, Community Organizations	Government Officials, Public Health Leaders, Leaders of Community Organizations	1 Policy Stages Key

For more information

• Human Services Policy Center - State of Washington's Children
• Download PDF of Report

 

Regional & National Initiatives

Screen Time Reduction for Healthier Kids

Kaiser Permanente's Healthy Kids Watch Less TV Coalition provides screen time reduction resources including a web site and tool kits for childhood professionals and families. The downloadable Screen Time Toolkit developed for TV Turnoff Week is available in English & Spanish and includes:

• What's TV-Turnoff Week about?
• Parents' Guide: Tips for helping your children cut down on screen time, plus a list of useful web sites and books for kids and adults.
• Screen-time Log: A handy log to keep track of your screen time—before and after the Turnoff.
• Kids' Guide: Alternatives to screen time, plus space to draw a picture or tell a story about life during TV-Turnoff Week.
• Teachers' and Leaders' Guide: Activities to build momentum before and during TV-Turnoff Week.
• Fact Sheet: Some surprising discoveries about the effects of screen time on children.

Kaiser is a nonprofit health plan serving the District of Columbia and nine states, including Oregon and Southwest Washington.

Schools Homes	Educators Parents	1,2,4,5 Policy Stages Key

For more information

• Kaiser Permanente - Turn Your TV Off for Healthier Kids | Tool Kit

 

Common Sense Media

Common Sense Media is a non-partisan, not-for-profit organization developed to provide trustworthy information and tools to improve the media and entertainment lives of kids and families. The commonsensemedia.org web site provides TV, movie, game, web site, music and book ratings & reviews based on child development criteria, parenting tips, and media survival guides. Common Sense Media also partners with schools, early childhood and afterschool groups to provide trainings and materials.

Early Childhood Programs, Schools, After-School Programs, Homes	Childhood Professionals, Educators, Parents	1,2,3,4,5 Policy Stages Key

For more information

• Common Sense Media
  

 

Center for SCREEN-TIME Awareness

The Center for SCREEN-TIME Awareness (CSTA) is a nonprofit organization that encourages children and adults to limit screen time in order to promote healthier lives and communities. CSTA's primary programs have been TV-Turnoff Week and More Reading, Less TV. The Center is launching several new initiatives including Universal Screen-Time Reduction: A lifestyle for the 21st Century and Taking Back Our World, a project for middle schools and high schools.

Schools, Homes, Communities	Educators, Families, Community Members	1,2,3,4,5 Policy Stages Key

For more information

• Center for SCREEN-TIME Awareness

 

TV Turnoff Week in Portland, OR

During TV Turnoff Week activities sponsored by the Multnomah Health Department in Oregon, displays, events, and trainings were used to involve health professionals in modeling behavior and talking to patients about smart screen time. The successful initiative also incorporated materials from Kaiser Permanente's Healthy Kids Watch Less program (described above) to support the participation of children and the general public.

Medical Clinics , Homes	Health Professionals, Families, Children, General Public	1,2,3,4,5 Policy Stages Key

For more information

• Erik Vidstrand
• Multnomah County School-Based Health Center Program

Featured: Spring 2007 - Special Issue