Teaching digital rights and responsibilities to children should include one crucial element: taking time to unplug and disconnect. On a Magical Do-Nothing Day is a wonderful example of this notion!
Remember the days when we didn’t worry about screens cracking or batteries dying and the only volume anyone was concerned about was whether kids were properly using their inside voices? I do. And sometimes, I wish we were back there. Yes, I love my phone and my gadgets, and yes, it’s pretty fantastic that I can access all of my work and writing and scheduling from one simple device. But, gosh, how I hate when my kids only want to watch Daniel Tiger and Paw Patrol on my iPad! Enter On a Magical Do-Nothing Day, a whimsical new book written and illustrated by the great Beatrice Alemagna- a book that reminds us of simpler days and ranked high on my list of favorites from 2017.
In On a Magical Do-Nothing Day, a young boy wants nothing more than to destroy Martians on his device. But mom – smart mom! – eventually takes the device away and hides it. The boy finds the gadget though, and he goes to play with it outside in the rain. But then, lo and behold, the device of all devices falls smack dab into the middle of a pond. Whatever will the child do to pass the time? Maybe, just maybe, with the help of some friendly snails and the use of his long forgotten imagination, the day will turn out ok after all.
Need I say more? If your kids are getting too much screen time, hide the phones, take away the iPads, snuggle up on the couch, and read this book. And then go outside, play hide and seek, and enjoy your beautiful, natural environment together. Sometimes we all need that reminder to unplug- and yes, I’m not just talking about the kids. I’m guilty- horribly so- of spending too much time on my phone. But I am so thankful for books like On a Magical Do-Nothing Day that remind us to slow down, look up, and enjoy life’s simplest pleasures. There’s nothing more beautiful than that.
RELATED: We’ve got all the best children’s books for you on Happily Ever Elephants, so be sure to check them out!
Want the book? Get it here! On a Magical Do-Nothing Day, by Beatrice Alemagna.
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