The summer vacation is upon us in Europe. In the Netherlands, primary and high school kids will have six weeks off of school.
What happens during these six weeks can be huge, especially if parents and caregivers don’t pay careful attention to 1) how kids use screens and apps over the summer and 2) ensuring that kids have lots of positive social interaction.
With AI continuing to expand into all aspects of our lives, it’s more important than ever that we embrace what makes us human. Use the summer to help kids celebrate their ability to connect and interact with people, to experience a range of physical feelings and emotions including joy and wonder, to practice making their own choices and decisions and having agency over some parts of their lives, and to experience the world through their own eyes, ears, hands and feet, and not through a screen.
Here are some tips from NewTechKids for kids ages 4-12:
Screen Time Management
Set screen time limits for kids: clearly set screen time limits as well as dedicated time periods when kids can use screens to watch videos, play games, check social media, send messages. Avoid allowing kids to carry phones or tablets with them all the time unless there is some sort of adult supervision. The temptation is just too great to immerse themselves in screen-based activities and to block out friends and the world around them. This article outlines guidelines issued by the Dutch government in 2025.
Understand the difference between productive and non-productive screen time: doom scrolling and watching endless YouTube videos that AI algorithms deliver is not productive. Using apps and Web sites to learn something new or a digital skill is productive. Encourage your child to teach themselves something new using online resources: a new language, digital sketching, musical beats, coding, writing literature, poetry or a screenplay, video or a stop motion production, online video game design, etc. Challenge kids to think about what they want to learn on their own that they can’t in school.
No screens in bedrooms: this is a no-brainer but you would be surprised by the amount of parents who turn a blind eye or allow this. Phones, tablets, laptops, computers and gaming consoles belong in common areas where kids can be supervised. Bedrooms are for sleeping or homework. Great article in The Atlantic on this topic: ‘A Tech Rule that Will Future-Proof Your Kids’.
Keep Kids Away from Generative AI: Ban general purpose AI chatbots such as ChatGPT and Gemini at home and discourage kids from using AI mode search results. Encourage them to do their own sleuthing and find and verify original information sources. Challenge them to prove the news they watch on social media. Great article by Timothy Cook in Psychology Today: ‘Adults Lose Skills to AI. Children Never Build Them’
Social and Interactive Activities
Sign Them Up for a Free Amsterdam Public Library card: kids and anyone under 26 years old is eligible for a free library card. This gives them access to books, e-books, audiobooks, online databases, magazines, and often free entry to cultural activities and workshops organized by the Library.
Reading Challenges: Back in the day, libraries and youth groups challenged kids to read a certain number of books over the summer. Parents and caregivers should bring this back and discuss the books over meals and one-on-one time. A great example is the UK-based Reading Agency’s ‘Read to the Beat’ Summer 2026 Challenge which encourages kids to read books which connect stories with songs.
Write to a PenPal: It’s time to revive the dying art of writing letters and postcards. Encourage kids to find a penpal: a family member, friend, friend of a friend or someone else who will enjoy exchanging hand-written messages. Writing to penpals strengthens social connection, helps kids practice writing and communication skills, and is a great way to cultivate interest and empathy.
Play Games: Teach kids new card games and board games. Spot It (ages 4-6), Ticket to Ride and Uno (ages 7-9), Catan Junior, Quirkle, Trivial Pursuit Junior (ages 10-12). Focus on games which involve multiple players.
Design and Build Physical Objects: Encourage kids to work on projects over the summer. Build with Duplo and LEGO. Assemble model kits and construction sets. If money is scarce, design with free cardboard sourced from grocery stores.