Tuning Out - Alternatives To Watching TV

I was a TV junkie in a family of TV junkies. As soon as I learned to read, I made perusing the TV listings a regular habit, highlighting my viewing choices for all 24 hours of all 7 days of the following week. Our home held four televisions each with its own VCR to tape the shows we missed. I can still name all the Brady kids and sing the theme song to Gilligans Island. TV was a way of life in my childhood home.

So it came as a surprise to my parents that my husband and I chose not to add a television set to our newlywed household. We had decided to try spending our time differently. It took some getting used to especially for my parents. During visits to our home, my dad didnt know what to do with his time until he started mowing our lawn every time he visited! Overall, my husband and I learned to read, to talk, to laugh more together. Thirteen years and five kids later, we continue to live a happy existence without television programming.

Many people, wiser than I, have expounded on the detriments of television and why your family should watch less. I'll leave the debating to them. But, I can attest to the fact that there is life without TV! Should you choose to bid adieu to television or even if you just want to add a little spice to your family life, here are some great alternatives to watching the Boob Tube.

Take a walk

It's amazing how lifes pace seems to slow down when one uses the feet. Many areas and subdivisions have walking paths. Explore these as a family. Take a bag along to collect stones, leaves, flowers, or creepy crawlies. Literally, stop and smell the roses. Consider visiting Ernie Miller Nature Center, the Overland Park Arboretum and Botanical Gardens, or Powell Gardens. A walk in the city can be just as refreshing. Visit the Plaza or Zona Rosa and window shop. Better yet, take a tour of all the fountains that this City of Fountains has to offer. Log onto www.ExperienceKC.com/Fountains for a comprehensive list.

Read a book

Reading a chapter book together as a family is a great shared experience at the same time as a great way to improve listening skills. Our family has fond memories of reading through The Chronicles of Narnia as well as The Little House on the Prairie series. Peruse The Read Aloud Handbook by Jim Trelease for book suggestions as well as a primer on the benefits of reading aloud. If you want to check out a locally placed adventure, try The Amazing Museum Adventure of Thomas Maxim Moore by Jane Bishop, a book about one boys adventures in our very own Toy and Miniature Museum. Older children might enjoy After the Dancing Days by Margaret Rostkowski about one girls coming to terms with the aftermath of World War I. It includes references to KCs Liberty Memorial which has recently become the site of the new National World War I Museum.

Bake someone happy

Dig out the cookbooks and gather the kids around the table. Let each child choose a recipe and prepare it together as a family. Whether it is chocolate chip cookies or chicken pot pies that you whip up, youre sure to enjoy food, fellowship, and fun with your kids.

Play a game

Dust off Monopoly or invest in a new game. (Our family favorite is Blokus.) Try a different game each night that you would normally be watching a show. Set yourselves up in tournament play and have a big celebration at the end of the week.

Explore KC

Now that winter is receding into the past, its a great time to get out and about. Visit the KC Zoo or the local botanical gardens. Catch a Royals or T-Bones baseball game. Tour one of our fine local museums. Use your freer time to see all that Kansas City has to offer you in the way of art, entertainment and culture. Search www.kcparent.com for ideas.

Plant a garden

Children love to garden and youll find digging in the dirt to be very therapeutic. Check out some library books on the subject and plan a garden. You dont need a lot of space, even some potted plants on the back deck will do. The sun, air, and dirt will be good for your souls. I love visiting SavvyGardener.com. Youll find all sorts of garden tips tailor made for Kansas City.

Visit with the neighbors

We live in a culture that is increasingly private. New homes no longer feature front porches, the entertainment of years gone by. They seem to have disappeared from our architecture right around the same time that TV became popular. Hmmm.. Grab a lawn chair and a glass of iced tea and sit out front. Supply the kids with bubbles or sidewalk chalk and draw your neighbors outside. The kids will enjoy playing with their buddies and you can catch up with their parents. You may find that you have more in common than you thought.

Ride a bike

Equip yourself and the kids with proper safety equipment and hit the road. Youll appreciate the wind in your face and the cardio-vascular workout for your heart. Your family will enjoy the time spent together as well as the road races. Dont forget to check out the local bike trails! For an extensive list of KC bike trails, visit www.MoBikeFed.org/motrails .

Build a fort

A dad we know salvaged multiple appliance boxes and crafted a huge castle, complete with a working drawbridge. What a fun way to spend time with the kids and let them exercise their imaginations! My husband has performed cardboard art as well, his creative juices producing a huge pirate ship. But, you dont have to go to great lengths to make a fun hideaway a few chairs and blankets will do. The important part is to join your children in creativity and role playing.

Visit a local park or lake

There is bound to be some unique outdoor spot just waiting for you and your kiddos to explore. Have you visited Deanna Rose Farmstead in Overland Park, English Landing Park in Parkville, or Merriams Antioch Park? Wherever you go, pack a picnic dinner and relax. Breathe in the fresh air. Laugh with your children. Fly kites. Fling a Frisbee. Run races. Be a kid again.

Savor the moments, they pass quickly. Youll find that a life without TV really is worth living. Youll reconnect as a family. Youll discover new amusements that you hadnt thought about. And if youre still struggling with what to do with your time, Ive got a lawn you can mow.

April 23-29, is Turn Off Your TV Week, which provides a chance to think, read and connect with our families and community. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, children in the U.S. see 40,000 commercials annually - and most children under age 8 don't understand commercials are selling products. Children under 6 can't distinguish programs from commercials, especially when favorite characters promote the products. These great books might help your kids understand why youve decided to take a break from the television for a while:

The Berenstain Bears and Too Much TV By Stan Berenstain & Jan Berenstain

The Berenstain Bears and the Trouble with Commercials By Stan Berenstain & Jan Berenstain

Arthur's TV Trouble by Marc Brown

365 TV-Free Activities You Can Do With Your Child by Steven & Ruth Bennett

Jessica Fisher is a wife, mother, and freelance writer, making her home in Olathe. She and her husband enjoy all sorts of family fun with their five children.