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I was one of the only children in my neighborhood who didn't have a Sega, Nintendo, or Playstation system growing up. Or at least that was the way it felt to me. Then when I was seven, my father decided that we didn't need a television either. A few months later he fought with the telephone company, and terminated our service. As a child without a television, video game system, or even a telephone in our house, I should have been miserable. Instead I found myself thriving.

I now have two sets of nieces and nephews, and I can't believe how different the two groups are. One set walks into the house and immediately pulls out their hand held gaming systems, while the other groups runs through the yard playing, and trying to climb our bare limbed trees. The difference between the two groups of children is even more striking when you consider that they both have access to the same things, but what they do with them is quite different.

Much of that credit lies with their parents. One set of parents bought learning themed programs and games for their children, while the other set of parents focus on the most popular games. One set limits the time spent in front of the television/video game/etc. to one hour a day, and the other sets no limits. My brother and his wife also get their children to focus on more wholesome activities.

One of those activities is an organized sport. In this day and age there are dozens, maybe even hundreds of organized sports that appeal to all types of children, and all types of skill levels. Basketball, baseball, karate, and dance are only a few of the options.

Other parents focus on getting their children involved in small group activities. As a child, one of my earliest memories is of being in Girl Scouts, and now my nieces are experiencing those same fun filled activities. One of my nephews is in Cub Scouts, which takes up a good portion of his time. These groups typically meet a few times every week, and give kids the chance to make new friends, and interact with people their own age.

Another easy way to keep children's mind occupied, and off electrical devices is a family game night. Board games can be found very cheap at yard sales and thrift stores, as well as at mass merchandise stores. Then its simply a matter of picking one night a week where the whole family gets "unplugged", and focuses on one night together. Its even better if you plan to cook dinner together, and spend the whole night together. You can even get the children involved by letting them pick their favorite foods, and teaching them how to cook those foods.

There are a variety of ways to keep kids entertained without resorting to televisions and video games. The activities described here are just a few simple ways to keep children's mind occupied and to keep their attention off the television or the latest video game.

Learn more about this author, Jennifer Eblin.
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