Families are being encouraged to swap smartphone scrolling for more family play time together when they stay at the UK’s first Legoland Woodland Village.
Many parents worry about how too much technology can affect a child's development, and consider how to reduce kids' screen time. But what about when we are the ones mindlessly scrolling social media instead of interacting with our families?!
We've all been there; one moment you're enjoying a meal together or a family day out and, the next, having only picked up your phone to check the time, you're utterly absorbed in an email or social media - while the kids are clamouring for your attention and trying desperately to tear you away from your phone.
I'm not the only one guilty of this, either. A third of British parents (33 per cent) recognise that they have missed out on important moments because they were looking at their phone, according to new research that sampled 1,003 parents of kids aged 5-12 and their kids.
Of the parents that were surveyed, the top five ways they spend their screen time include:
- Scrolling social media (61 per cent)
- Playing games (34 per cent)
- Texting family and friends (33 per cent)
- Checking emails (33 per cent)
- Working (26 per cent).
In response, Legoland Windsor Resort, who commissioned the research, is introducing a voluntary digital detox service for families who stay at its new Legoland Woodland Village. Due to open on May 25th, the new holiday village houses 130 lodges, 20 camping barrels, an on-site restaurant and a family entertainment hub, is the UK's first Legoland holiday village.
The ‘voluntary phone zip-away’ digital detox initiative encourages parents and children to 'disconnect to reconnect' and will see guests offered resort-themed pouches in which to safely stash their digital devices. This could be for an hour at mealtimes, or anytime during their stay.
Helen Bull, Divisional Director of the Legoland Windsor Resort, said the voluntary digital detox initiative offers families staying at Woodland Village the chance to take a break from screen time and scrolling to focus on building family memories that last a lifetime.
“We live in an age with a digital-focused generation of the future, which is why we carve out technology-leading innovation at LEGOLAND Windsor including AR and smartphone-led activity," says Helen. "However, as our research has shown - there is still a high demand for creative play and focused family time together."
This year alone, British parents will spend an astonishing 1,740.98 hours on their phones, on average. This equates to a whopping 72.54 days.
From the eye-watering price of the most expensive Lego set in the world to the eternal debate over which is better, Lego vs Playmobil, it's clear that Lego remains as popular as ever with kids of all ages. (Ok, and kidults too.) So what better opportunity to make some meaningful family memories together than with a digital detox at the new Legoland Woodland Village? The only question is, how will you snap all those Insta-worthy pics of your family adventure without a phone...?!
- Legoland Windsor Village opens on Friday 24th May and prices start from £70 per person including entry to the theme park, a round of adventure golf, and bed and breakfast. Tickets to Legoland Windsor start from £29 per person (kids under 90cm go free) and can be booked at www.legoland.co.uk.
If this has got you thinking about a digital detox, find out how to reduce screen time and why you shouldn't feel guilty about it or check out I gave my 11-year-old a smartphone and regret it. Or for more on Lego, there's Mum shares the "ultimate hack" for picking up LEGO, hint: it involves a sock and David Beckham's Lego obsession is the mindful parenting trick you didn't know you needed, according to experts.
