MSU Extension Child & Family Development

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Wondering if this resource is right for you? Learn more about the guide below. 

What is this facilitator guide? 

The MSU Extension Nutrition and Physical Activity team is committed to enhancing the physical health and healthy literacy of children aged 2-5 and reducing future rates of obesity and chronic disease. Our goal is to deliver clear, consistent messaging that aligns with evidence-based best practices, meaning we promote teaching strategies that are supported by research and commonly used by experienced educators because they help participants learn, stay engaged, and apply what they’ve learned. As part of this initiative, we have:  

• Developed six lessons to support child care providers in intentionally teach young children about the importance of reducing screen time for their health.  
• Provided printable teaching support resources that correspond with each lesson. 
• Provided six family communication newsletters and additional resources that correspond with each lesson.    

We aim to provide both home-based and center-based child care providers with the confidence and resources they need to lead lessons that encourage reduced screen time for young children. This guide was informed by a review of evidence-based early childhood screen reduction resources, including Fit 5 Kids: Reduction of TV Viewing Preschool Curriculum (Sherwood et al., 2004), from which many activities have been adapted with permission. It addresses all forms of sedentary screen time and aligns with current preschool health education best practices through six lessons, extension activities, and family communication supports. 

Rationale for intentionally targeting screen time usage among 2-to-5-year-olds 

The Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans emphasizes that movement for preschool-aged children should be integrated throughout the day. Movement can take place through both active free play and structured, child- or adult-led activities. 3-to-5-year-olds should get about 3 hours of physical activity each day, including both light activity and more energetic play. This recommendation is higher than those for any other age group, highlighting how much young children’s growing bodies and minds need movement. 

Conversely, sedentary behavior, meaning low-energy behavior such as sitting or lying down while awake, does not provide the same benefits to children’s growth and development. Screen time (including TV and other device-viewing) is a particularly common and detrimental form of sedentary behavior among children. Excessive screen time negatively affects children’s physical health and development, as well as social-emotional growth, even more than other types of sedentary activity such as reading. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that sedentary screen time should be limited to no more than 1 hour for toddlers and children under 5 — and less is better! Yet, recent data shows that only one in three children between the age of 2-5 meet these screen time guidelines. 

Policies and practices in child care programs can help limit children’s sedentary screen time, but behaviors at home also matter. To compliment best practices in programs, early screen time and health literacy can be deliberately emphasized. Learning the importance of limiting screen time sets children on the road to understanding the why and how of their own long-term health as early as possible.  

Know your audience — and yourself 

As you guide participants through activities, remember that everyone has unique abilities and potential barriers. The reasons behind some children’s high exposure to screen time vary, may be complex, and may make children and families feel sensitive to what they feel are criticisms. Parents have reported feeling guilt regarding screen time when they understand that less is better, but feel unable to limit it for their children due to other circumstances. Empathy in understanding underlying issues and feelings can go a long way in avoiding stigmatizing and alienating families.  

Adjusting discussions and activities based on children’s needs — and giving them space to express those needs — is essential to helping them and their families feel physically and emotionally safe. It is also essential in helping children and families recognize barriers and potential strategies to overcome them.  

Encourage children to participate while modeling respect and avoiding pressure. Watch for hesitancy and use language that communicates that they have freedom in making choices for their bodies. Emphasize that if one alternative to sedentary screen time is hard due to physical, cognitive, sensory, economic, or other barriers, it is perfectly fine to build other strategies...one step at a time!  

Structure of Each Facilitator Lesson 

To help make the lessons engaging and relatable, we have structured each one to be both informative and interactive. This structure ensures the material is presented in a way that is accessible, functional, and directly tied to participants’ daily lives. 

Here is a breakdown of the key sections of each lesson: 

1. Key Teaching Point: The central message or concept that participants should learn and remember. This sets the foundation for the lesson. 
2. Materials: Recommended supplies such as visual aids and physical activity props to support lesson concepts and enhance learning. 
3. The Hook: A way to grab participants' attention right at the start. This could be a question, an interesting fact, or a relatable scenario that sparks curiosity about the lesson. 
4. Why This Matters: This section connects the key teaching point to participants' lives by explaining why the topic is relevant and how it can impact their health and well-being. It answers the question, "Why should I care?" in a way that they can understand. 
5. Check Your Knowledge/Participant Voice: In this section, we encourage active participation by prompting questions or discussions. This allows participants to reflect on what they already know and share their thoughts, making the lesson more engaging. 
6. Get Moving Your Way: Here, we provide practical examples or activities that show how the lesson’s key points apply in real life. The aim is to show participants how to integrate the information into their daily routines in a functional and meaningful way. 
7. Try It: This is where participants get the chance to practice what they’ve learned through hands-on activities. The Try It section includes functional activities that can be done individually or with a group, reinforcing the lesson’s key message. 
8. Wrap-Up: The final section ties everything together. It reinforces the key points of the lesson, provides a call to action, and gives participants something to think about or apply in the future. 

By structuring the lessons this way, we aim to make each one relatable, achievable, and actionable. Our goal is not just to educate but to inspire participants to take practical steps toward improving their health and screen-use habits. This structure also keeps the lessons dynamic and ensures that participants are actively engaged throughout. 

Lessons summary 

These lessons introduce young children to basic screen time concepts in ways that are ageappropriate, engaging, and inclusive. Each lesson 

• ...is designed to promote health literacy, body awareness, and healthy habits through movement, storytelling, and play.  
• ...can be done as whole group, small group, or activity stations. 
• ...has a variety of activities to choose from. You can do one or two in a single day, or space them out over the course of a week.  
• ...includes appendices for extended learning resources for teachers and outreach to parents. 

Lesson 1: Screen Time Introduction – “The Scoop on Screens” 

• Teaches what sedentary screen time is and how to recognize its effects on our bodies. 
• Promotes making choices that build healthy habits in areas of physical fitness, nutrition, and sleep. 

Lesson 2: Alternatives to Screen Time – “Unplugged Play” 

• Introduces multiple alternatives to screen time. 
• Covers some barriers to alternative activities and how to overcome them, guiding children on how to verbalize making healthy choices. 

Lesson 3: Physical Activity – “Get Moving, Get Grooving” 

• Focuses on moving our bodies as a healthy alternative to screen time. 
• Activities are moderate to vigorous intensity and focus on muscular and cardio strength and endurance, as well as flexibility. 

Lesson 4: Reading – “Moving our Minds by Reading” 

• Highlights literacy activities as healthy alternatives to screen time. 
• Activities center on showing how reading can be more than just sitting and can be engaging for readers of all levels and interests. 

Lesson 5: No Screen Time Week – “The Screen-Free Challenge” 

• Introduces the idea of children going screen-free for a week. 
• Helps children prepare for monitoring their screen viewing and participating in alternative activities. 

Lesson 6: Celebration – “No More Couch Potatoes!” 

• Celebrates the end of the Screen-Free Challenge with a party focused on children’s learning and accomplishments.