54 Easy Riddles (& the Answers That Go with Them) Perfect for Kids

by Amber GuetebierMarch 5, 2024

Looking for some fun riddles for kids to keep those little minds sharp? Or maybe even a few hard riddles for kids? We’ve found kid-friendly puzzlers just right for your family. Share these riddles for kids with answers on the way to school or over dinner. And for even more, check out this adorable kid’s book.

Don’t stop here! Check out our trivia for kids and our ultimate list of jokes for kids for more fun.

What is a riddle?

A riddle is a brain-teasing question with a hidden meaning or answer requiring creative, out-of-the-box thinking. The answers are often things you wouldn’t think about, so be sure to take your time solving these easy riddles for kids!

Why should you share riddles with kids?

Riddles, and other brain teasers like hidden word puzzles, sudoku, and crossword puzzles help keep the brain sharp and help to develop problem-solving skills and creativity. Plus, it’s just fun to ask kids funny riddles and see their reactions!

One-Word Answers for Easy Riddles

1. What has hands but cannot write or clap?

A clock.

2. What has stripes and goes through the air?

Hint: It sometimes goes on the ground, too!

A basketball.

3. I am yellow, and I write, and my mate is white. What am I?

A pencil.

4. What gets wetter the more it dries?

A towel.

5. What has a neck but no head and arms but no hands?

A shirt.

6. Remove my skin and I won't cry, but you might! What am I?

An onion.

7. What kind of ship has two mates but no captain?

A relationship.

8. I'm taller when I'm young and shorter when I'm old. What am I?

A candle.

9. What is always right in front of you, yet you cannot see it?

The future.

10. What has a tongue but cannot talk?

A shoe.

11. What is easier to get into than out of?

Trouble.

12. What always ends up broken before you use it?

An egg.

13. What begins with T ends with T and has a T in it?

A teapot.

14. What breaks as soon as you say its name?

Silence.

15. If you threw a yellow stone into a blue sea, what would it become?

Wet.

16. What number is odd until you take away one letter; then it becomes even?

Seven.

17. What runs but cannot walk, has a mouth but no teeth, and has a bed but cannot sleep?

A river.

18. There is one word spelled wrong in every English dictionary. What is it?

Wrong.

19. What goes in your pocket but keeps it empty?

A hole.

20. What has legs but cannot walk?

A chair.

21. I sometimes run but cannot walk. You follow me around. What am I?

Your nose.

22. What word begins and ends with the E but only has one letter?

Envelope.

23. What do you find at the end of a rainbow?

The letter W.

dad and daughter laughing at easy riddles — iStock

24. What are two things you can never eat for dinner?

Breakfast and Lunch.

25. I can be cracked or played; told or made. What am I?

A joke!

26. I give you one, and you have two or none. What am I?

A choice.

27. What has four eyes but cannot see?

MISSISSIPPI

28. What belongs to you but is used most often by everyone else?

Your name.

29. I fall but I never get hurt. What am I?

Snow.

30. What's full of holes but still holds water?

A sponge.

31. What has a bottom at the top?

Legs

Riddles for Kids with Long Answers

little girl telling her little sister an easy riddle — iStock

32. A man holds $5.50 in his hand but only has one coin. How is this possible?

He has a $5 bill and one 50-cent piece.

33. How many months of the year have 28 days?

All of them (they all have at least 28 days).

34. When is "L" greater than "XL"?

When you use Roman numerals.

35. What is always on the dinner table but you cannot eat it?

A plate. (Or a fork, etc.)

36. What can you hold in your right hand but never your left hand?

Your left hand.

37. A cowboy comes into town on Friday. He stays two nights at a local hotel. He leaves on Friday. How is this possible?

His horse's name is Friday.

38. A woman is sitting in his cabin in Minnesota. In less than three hours, she's in her cabin in Texas. How can this be?

The woman is a pilot and she's sitting in the cabin of her airplane.

39. What is as big as a hippo but weighs nothing at all?

A hippo's shadow.

40. What bank never has any money?

A river bank.

41. How do you make the number “one” disappear?

Add a “g” and it is “gone.”

42. If an electric train is traveling 60 MPH and going against the wind, which way will the train's smoke drift?

There is no smoke from an electric train.

43. Why did the kid bury his walkie-talkie?

Because the batteries died.

44. Two fathers and two sons went fishing. They only caught 3 fish, but they caught one fish each. How is this possible?

It was a grandfather, a father, and a grandson/son. (Both the grandfather and father are fathers and both the father and grandson are sons).

Easy Riddles Submitted by Readers

45. I am loved, for I am sweet

I come in many forms

but I’m always a treat

before apple and after cotton

dentists contend that I’ll

make your teeth rotten

What am I?

Candy

—from young reader Gloria, age 8

46. There was a circle house. There was a chef, a nanny, a butler, two children, and a maid. The boy child was found dead. The nanny said she was playing with the girl, the chef said he was cooking dinner and the maid said she was dusting the corners. So who killed the boy?

The maid because she was lying about dusting corners. A circle house has no corners.

—submitted by Joshua Y., age 9

47. What has a head and a tail but no body?

A coin.

—Young reader Katelyn

48. Mr. Red and Ms. Red live in the red house, Mr. Purple and Ms. Purple live in the purple house. Who lives in the white house?

The President!

—from young reader Gwen I

49. If you feed me, I grow, but if you give me water, I die.

Fire

—Young reader Sai Sri Vallabh

50. What has a mouth, a bed, and always runs?

A river.

—Chase, age 9

Riddles for Brain-Teasing Fun

51. What five-letter word gets short when you add two letters to the end?

Short.

52. What type of cheese is made backward?

Edam

53. A cat wants to get in better shape. She’s going to start by climbing the stairs. Starting on the fourth floor, she climbs up five stories, down seven stories, up six stories, down three stories, and up four stories again. What floor is she on?

The ninth floor.

54. There was a blue one-story house in a nice neighborhood. Everything in it was blue—the walls, the carpets, the furniture, and even the dog! What color were the stairs?

There are no stairs because it's a one-story house.

11 Important Things Dads Should Say to Their Sons

by Kipp Jarecke-ChengAugust 14, 2023

These should all make an appearance in future father-son talks

From simple, everyday interactions to more serious, big-picture issues, there are important life lessons we dads can—and should—share to help a young boy grow into a courageous, honorable, and kind adult. That said, we realize that not all families include fathers, so these words of wisdom for a father-son talk apply to any parent figure who wants to help their child stand a little taller and do good in the world.

I’ll always be here for you.
Anyone can be a father, but it takes someone special to be a dad. Reminding your son that you always are available to him and mindful of his needs will go a long way in establishing and building trust over time. Mindful parenting means being present in the moment and aware of what’s happening. Modeling positive, supportive behavior while your son is young will show him that good men are reliable and responsible.

Treat others with compassion and empathy.
The Golden Rule may be a simple principle to follow, but teaching empathy can provide a deeper framework for how people should behave regardless of circumstance. Fostering empathy can help young boys to find commonalities between themselves and others who are seemingly different—and encourages them to positively and proactively think about and care for others.

father-son-talk-playing-basketball — iStock

Winning is great, but losing with grace and humility is just as important.
Good sportsmanship is a beneficial trait that goes well beyond what happens on the playing field. By teaching our sons how to win and lose with dignity, we’re giving them strong interpersonal relationship skills that will serve them well in many other aspects of their lives besides sports. Telling them that the main point of competition is to have fun will alleviate the feeling of needing to win at any cost, and allows them to enjoy themselves.

Surround yourself with people you admire.
Dads can’t always pick our son’s friends, but we can encourage them to choose their friendships wisely. Find out who your son admires and who his heroes are, and you’ll quickly discover the kinds of people he wants to emulate. Real friendships are fundamental in early childhood development, so teaching our sons how to find good friends and be good friends will help guide them in the right direction.

I can teach you how to throw a punch, but never start a fight… and always know when to walk away.
A parent should teach their son when to stand their ground and when to walk away. Establishing a baseline that it’s never appropriate to hurt others for no reason is a critical, essential first step.

Never make an important decision on an empty stomach.
Over the course of a young boy’s life, he’ll have to make many important decisions. These are just warm-ups to the big ones that he’ll have to make as an adult, and every dad knows that important decisions should never be made on an empty stomach. There’s a science to explain why people become grumpy or have poorer judgment when they are hungry. Remind your kid to have a full belly before making any major decisions.

It’s OK to play with dolls.
Or dress up as Beyoncé. Or sing like Beyoncé. Or dance like Beyoncé. By the time most boys are five years old, they’ve already learned lots of things that perpetuate toxic masculinity. Break the cycle by letting your son know that there are no such things as “girls-only toys” or “girls-only behaviors.” Instead, teach your son that there’s more than one way to be a man.

Honesty matters.
Whether it’s telling the truth about a broken window/bike/toy or speaking up against bullies, honestly is always the best policy.

What was the best part of your day?
At the end of a long day of work and school, many dads will simply ask their sons, “How was your day?” And the typical response is a bluntly delivered, “Fine.” Rather than try to start a conversation with a generic question, be specific. Avoid questions that can be answered with a single word. As our kids get older—particularly as they enter their tween and teen years—they may be less inclined to volunteer information about what’s happening in their lives. Asking pointed questions will help tease out what’s really going on and what’s really on their minds.

Let’s talk about sex, drugs, and rock and roll.
Because if you’re not the person who’s initiating conversations with your son about topics as important as these, then someone else inevitably will, and that someone else may not always have your kid’s best interests in mind. There are plenty of resources to help parents talk to their kids about sensitive and sometimes awkward topics. At the very least, make sure your son has a handle on the basics from the school of rock.

I’m so lucky that I get to be your dad.
And while you’re at it, tell your son that you love him every day, and give him lots of hugs and kisses, especially while he’s still young so that he gets used to receiving affection from (and giving it to) his old man.

The Summer Nights I Want My Kids to Remember

By Jennifer Berney

Tinybeans Voices Contributor

August 5, 2022

When I was eight years old in 1985, summer had long arms. I woke long after the sun had risen to a day that no one had mapped out for me. It was my job to map it, and so I read books, I watched TV, or I put an album on the record player and spread out across the floor to listen. When I got bored of all of these things, I cut through the neighbor’s backyard, walked two houses down, and knocked on my best friend’s door.

Our play dates were never arranged by parents or noted on the family calendar. Instead, they were spontaneous and sprawling: They often lasted for days. After an afternoon of play, as dinnertime approached and the prospect of separating loomed, we inevitably begged for a sleepover.

My parents, who valued routine, were likely to say, “We didn’t plan for that.” But Alison’s parents—who had once been hippies and had an open-door policy—were far more likely to say “Sure!” On one of these summer evenings, their “yes” meant that I traveled with them to a party several towns away.

I had never been to a party that combined adults and children. When my own parents wanted to socialize, they hired a sitter and went out, or invited one or two guests over for dinner. So far the only parties I knew involved balloons, a small group of kids the same age, and a table for carefully wrapped presents.

This party was expansive. Grown-ups spilled out of the house and onto the lawn. Alison and I were instantly absorbed into a group of children. There were about a dozen of us, boys and girls of various ages, most of us unknown to one another. We never learned each other’s names, but we played together, easily, for hours. We played tag and red rover. We found big sticks and explored the nearby creek, balancing on rocks and swatting at mosquitoes.

If we had gone to school together, we would have been in different grades and different social groups. At best, these other children would have ignored me at recess; at worst, they would have teased me for my bad haircut and crooked teeth. That evening, we were free from all of that.

Back at the house, grown-ups did whatever grown-ups did at parties. They drank and smoked strange-smelling cigarettes. They grilled meat. They sang and talked and laughed their loud grown-up laughs. By this time, I was certain that my own parents were in bed, asleep.

When night descended, darkness drew us kids to the light of the bonfire, where each of us settled between the grown-ups we’d arrived with. On the long drive home, Alison lay across the back seat with her head in my lap while I tracked stars in the clear night sky.

As an adult, I’m surprised by how often I remember this party, which marked a rare moment in my childhood when time and social boundaries were fluid. I think of it every time we assemble on a neighbor’s lawn for a barbecue and my sons join games with children of various ages. On these evenings, I note how the teenage boys are tender with the younger kids. They are skilled at adapting games of football and Frisbee to include my six-year-old, who still struggles to catch and throw, and my two-year-old, who stands in the middle and lunges.

I think of this party when we visit a friend whose twin granddaughters jump up and down at the sight of my sons, and they all run wild together. They take turns sliding on the Slip n’ Slide. They sprint down the hill and do tricks on the swings. Away from school, my son feels free to play with girls who wear pink, and the girls, in turn, are happy to spend their afternoon with younger boys who can barely keep up. When children form packs, when their friendships leave the restrictions of gender and age, their play becomes timeless. There is magic in that.

The rest of our summer is often marked by the trappings of our era. We listen to audiobooks on the iPad and watch movies on Netflix. These days, the parents I know aren’t eager to let their children roam the neighborhood or swap kids for days at a time, so I arrange play dates for my son via text message and mark them in their box on the calendar.

I’m fond of all our summer days, but it’s expansiveness I crave, the flow state of summer where time melts and boundaries blur; where we disconnect from set schedules and slip into our own rhythms of sleeping, waking, and eating; where friends become family and strangers become friends. Because isn’t it true that on a warm summer evening it’s easy to like whomever you’re with?

I seek and savor such moments for my children—the barbecues and long afternoons on the lawn—because their school year is so often composed of compartments, of school days and home days, of dinner before dessert and two books before bed, of play dates and swim lessons and designated screen times.

There is no greater joy for me than watching these edges soften, watching my children find their identities spread beyond their daily to-dos and into the wilderness of unstructured time.

This essay was originally published on Brain, Child.

Jennifer Berney

Tinybeans Voices Contributor

Jennifer Berney lives with her partner and two wild sons in the Pacific Northwest. You can connect with her on Twitter, or on her personal blog, Goodnight Already.

My Young Sons Aren’t “Heartbreakers.” Here’s Why

By Elizabeth Brunner

Tinybeans Voices Contributor

October 4, 2021

When I realized I was going to be a #boymom, I mentally prepared myself for a lot of things from being completely surrounded by testosterone to having to wipe the toilet down multiple times a day. What I wasn’t prepared for was the influx of outdated and insulting stereotypical phrases directed towards young boys.

From the moment onlookers experienced my five-year-old’s heartwarming hugs or my 2-year-old’s swoon-worthy dimples, I’d be bombarded with “compliments” ranging from “He’s gonna break some hearts” to “That’s an aspiring lady killer” and “He’ll definitely be a ladies man.” And then, we have “Boys don’t cry.” “Boys will be boys.” “Boys are much rougher than girls.” Every time those remarks hit my ear, I’d instantly cringe. I understood there was no malice behind these phrases. They were people making conversation, trying to connect. But what I heard were stereotypes being perpetuated onto my young sons. And these stereotypes had the capacity to do very real damage to their sense of self, their relationships, and even their safety. Let me explain.

I believe children hear and absorb more than we realize. But young children don’t necessarily have the capacity to decipher these supposed “well-meaning” phrases. If they hear them enough and start internalizing them, there’s a chance they become a reflection of those stereotypes. They become boys who grow up to lack respect for another person’s body and personal space, demean another’s display of emotions and not feel the need to be held responsible for it because “boys will be boys.” That is not what I want for my kids.

And it’s even more essential for me to shut down these stereotypes because I’m the mom to two Black boys. When I hear them, I feel like these phrases have the potential to erase the small dose of innocence little Black boys are allowed in a world destined to vilify them. Being wild and rough, or being a “heartbreaker” in relationships are generalizations society routinely associates with Black men. However, the difference is that when Black boys absorb those generalizations, there is little grace that may be extended to white children. According to a 2014 study conducted by the American Psychological Association, Black boys are viewed as older and less innocent in comparison to white boys from the age of 10—which leads to harsher disciplinary actions.

Words have power. I want my children to be well-adjusted, functioning members of society. That’s why I do everything in my power to not only shower them with positive affirmations, but I correct any adult who dares repeat those narrow minded ideologies about or around my children in the hopes they will one day learn the error in their words.

Until then, I’ll continue to do what I can to surround my boys with positive images of masculinity and defy gender stereotypes in the hopes that they will learn that “boys will not be boys.” Instead, boys can aspire to be “good people.”

—Written by Terri Huggins Hart
Terri Huggins Hart is a nationally-published journalist, freelance writer, and public speaker. Find her on Instagram @terrificwords.

This post originally appeared on StereoType.

Elizabeth Brunner

Tinybeans Voices Contributor

Elizabeth Brunner is a San Francisco-based designer and the founder of StereoType, a gender-free, st‌yle-forward kids clothing brand that’s designed to celebrate individuality and freedom of self-expression by blending traditional ideas of boys’ and girls’ wear. StereoType combines st‌yle, design and comfort to inspire creativity, individuality and freedom of expression.

Meghan Markle Just Wrote Her First Children’s Book & It’s a Must Read

by Karly WoodMay 4, 2021

The Duchess of Sussex has just authored her first children’s book! Random House Children’s Books has announced that Meghan Markle’s first book, The Bench, will publish on Jun. 8, 2021.

Detailing the special bond between father and son as seen through the eyes of a mother, The Bench is illustrated by Caldecott-winning and bestselling artist Christian Robinson. The Duchess took inspiration from her own husband and son in writing the tale.

photo: Random House Children’s Books

Meghan, The Duchess of Sussex, shared “The Bench started as a poem I wrote for my husband on Father’s Day, the month after Archie was born. That poem became this story. Christian layered in beautiful and ethereal watercolor illustrations that capture the warmth, joy, and comfort of the relationship between fathers and sons from all walks of life; this representation was particularly important to me, and Christian and I worked closely to depict this special bond through an inclusive lens. My hope is that The Bench resonates with every family, no matter the makeup, as much as it does with mine.”

You can pre-order The Bench on Amazon for $18.99, with a Jun. 8 delivery.

––Karly Wood

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Here’s How to Take Your Child to Work In 2021

by Erica LoopApril 16, 2021

While this last year for many parents has meant taking kids “to work” pretty much every day thanks to school and work from home, you might find yourself laughing at the idea of celebrating this day. But hear us out!

This year, Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day is going virtual for 2021 and is adapting to current times by creating a virtual career day for parents and kids to experience together. They’re hosting an online event geared toward elementary and middle-school-aged kids. Each program will include keynote speeches, interactive polls, video programming that focuses on diversity and inclusion, and an up-close look into more than 15 workplaces from industries such as the Arts, STEM, Health Sciences, Marketing, and Business.

photo: iStock

Whether you currently work from home, are back in the office in a hybrid model, or are a full-time in-person employee, this special day is a way to celebrate your career with your child. Starting in 1993 daughters and sons have enjoyed learning more about what their parents do for a living. To carry on the excitement of this career-centric day, the Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Foundation is transforming the previously all in-person events to cyber fun.

Tune in to the virtual event on Thursday, Apr. 22, 2021 at DaughtersAndSonsToWork.org. All participants should register before the event begins. Visit the Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Foundation website here to register.

Catch the broadcast at one of two times—either 9:00 a.m. ET or 12:00 p.m. ET. Entrepreneur and author Ellen Langas will host the 9:00 a.m. event, along with her daughters Stephanie and Veronica Campbell. Activist and icon Gloria Steinem will also make a special appearance, answering questions gathered from children before the event day. Courtney Carson, beauty and lifestyle TV personality, will host the 12:00 program. Gitanjali Rao, TIME Magazine’s first Kid of the Year will also make a special appearance.

Visit the Take Daughters and Sons to Work Foundation’s website to get an Activity Passport and an Activity Guide for parents and teachers.

—Erica Loop

Featured photo: Ketut Subiyanto via Pexels

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No Matter How Hard It Is for You

By Vesna Mitrevska

Tinybeans Voices Contributor

March 19, 2021

You have to grieve – I already have – for years, alone

While others just told me pleasantries and how they’ll pray for me,

I know there will be no wedding dances with my sons,

I know there won’t be any grandkids

But you, you don’t.

You still envision driving,

You still envision college,

You still envision careers.

You still envision words.

Words that have meaning, and that aren’t just parts of songs.

Being hopeful is one thing,

Being unrealistic is not.

Because the college fund is now a special needs trust,

And my career is over,

And my home is destroyed every single day,

And this isn’t the life I envisioned, but it’s the one I live every day.

And no matter the amount of therapy, there are no guarantees.

And all I want is for my children to be happy, even if it’s at home with me until I die.

And all I think about is who will take care of them when I’m gone, and if they’ll be taken advantage of or treated badly wherever they are.

It’s not doom and gloom because I am the proudest mom for the tiniest accomplishments,

Because I know how hard they had to work for them.

While others look at them and think they’re nothing,

They aren’t enough,

They aren’t words.

Because they didn’t grieve.

Every look in the eye gives me butterflies,

Every point excites me,

Every time a computerized voice talks to me, I understand that it’s him and how he will be able to tell me anything right now.

Every interaction with other children makes my heart skip a beat,

Every good report from school makes me so proud,

And that’s what you’re missing out on when you don’t grieve.

You can’t appreciate the littlest things when you’re still expecting the biggest.

And that eventual failure will only set you up for future disappointment.

And they don’t want you to be disappointed in them when they’re trying so hard just to live.

To live in a world not made for them.

A world too loud, and too bright, and too colorful.

They don’t need that added pressure.

Because I assure you, no matter how hard you think it is for you,

It’s so much harder for them.

Vesna Mitrevska

Tinybeans Voices Contributor

Vesna is a 37 year old single mom to two little autistic boys, a pharmacist, and likes to share her love of make up in her spare time.

Want to Buy Your Very Own Amusement Park? Here’s How!

by Erica LoopFebruary 23, 2021

Are you an amusement park enthusiast to the max? If you’re a carousel connoisseur or rave about roller coasters to no end, Clementon Park in New Jersey has a deal you’ll want to learn more about.

The park, which was founded in 1907, is for sale—and now you can live out your daydreams and become its sole owner!

photo courtesy of PRNewswire/CRG

So how does one go about buying an entire amusement park? Clementon Park in Clementon, New Jersey will hit the auction block on Mar. 23. Capitol Recovery Group (CRG), a global private equity firm, is auctioning the park as a whole or split into individual parts. This means you can score an entire amusement park with everything you need included or just buy the land, amusement equipment, rides, buildings, or liquor license.

CRG President Bill Firestone said, in a press release, “We are actively seeking a buyer for this iconic park located outside of Philadelphia and expect significant interest in the auction.” Firestone added, “The property includes a 25-acre lake, dam, amusement rides, a water park and a full liquor license.”

Way back in 1907 Clementon was founded by Theodore Gibbs and his sons as a “trolley park.” Located at the end of a trolley line, the park was initially built to encourage weekend ridership. Clementon was family owned until 2011. The park closed its doors in 2019.

If you’re ready to turn your dreams into a reality—bidders can register for the auction on CRG’s website here.

—Erica Loop

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Coaching Your Kiddo’s Soccer Team? MOJO Is the New App You Need

by Erica LoopFebruary 18, 2021

Your kiddo’s soccer team needs a coach. Somehow you were the one picked from the sort of slim volunteer pool. Now what? If you’re not exactly a super-star athlete, MOJO is here to help!

MOJO is a new app that helps parents to learn the ins and outs of coaching. Forget about paging through playbooks, googling “youth sports drills” daily, or trying to figure out which YouTube coaching tutorials to trust—MOJO does all the work for you.

This interactive app is a parent-coach’s BFF. It features personalized practice ideas that are customized to the teams’ ages and skill levels along with high-quality short form instructional and entertainment videos, articles, advice and other content you’ll need to coach your kiddo’s team.

Ben Sherwood, MOJO founder and CEO, and a volunteer coach for the last 12 years with two sons playing four different sports, said in a press release, “With world-class technology and storytelling, our mission is to bring the magic—the mojo—back to youth sports.” Sherwood added, “I really needed an app like MOJO when I was coaching soccer, baseball, basketball and flag football. In fact, most parent-coaches wish they had a trusted one-stop solution that made coaching easy and fun. That’s MOJO’s goal – to save you time and effort, to give you what you really need, and to deliver more memories and magic on the field or court.”

If you’re still need sure whether you could use MOJO, Reed Shaffner, MOJO co-founder and COO, explained, “I just finished coaching a season of 10-year-old boys in Los Angeles, and despite playing soccer my whole life, it was really hard. The modern sports industrial complex largely ignores parent-coaches who need easy, age-appropriate help now more than ever.”

MOJO currently has soccer content, but will soon include information and ideas for all major youth sports. The app is available on iOS, with basic access free for parents. The premium MOJO+ tier is $19.99 annually.

—Erica Loop

Photos courtesy of MOJO

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Teens, Screens & My New Perspective

By Jenny Michaelson

Tinybeans Voices Contributor

December 1, 2020

Photo: Steinar Engeland on Unsplash

Recently my friend sent me this great article, “How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Screen, by Linda Wilbrecht, PhD.” It helps frame some of the positive ways that screen time can support teens during the pandemic. When I received the article, I had already been reflecting on how much screen time my two teenage sons have had since the lockdown in March. Since the boys were young, we have always limited their screen time out of the fear of the negative side effects like screen addiction, social isolation, increased anxiety and depression and lack of in-person communication skills.

This past summer, without their regular summer activities, the boys were on the screens a whole lot more, and I know it was the same for most kids. I was pleasantly surprised to find that it wasn’t all bad and that even in my own home there are some really positive ways screen time is helping my kids through this crisis. So much of what my kids were choosing to do was actually helping foster many of the things that I had feared in the first place!

Instead of becoming addicted, they are actually finding their own screen balance, increasing social connection, sharpening their communication skills, and learning new things. One of their friends developed a server for Minecraft, the “world-building game.” Together, they go on adventures and build new worlds including a “Capture the Flag” arena where they actually play “Capture the Flag.” This past weekend, six kids got together to fight the Enderdragon and “win” the game. While they play, they talk and chat through Discord, a communication platform. But the great thing is that they organized this all themselves! From the other room, I hear them working together, being creative, working out conflict and collaborating in ways that they just can’t do right now in person.

Both of my kids are exploring their interests and developing new skills using their screens. One is learning to draw his favorite anime characters while the other is teaching himself to repair and maintain his bicycle. They are also spending time diving mindlessly into the black hole of YouTube videos and there seems to be a place for that too.

We have had conversations about different types of screen time because as Linda Wilbrecht writes in the article, “It may not be the amount of screen time that is important, but what we are doing with our screens.” She makes a good point and with this in mind it became my goal to help them to distinguish between active, productive screen time where they are building skills and passive screen time which is purely for entertainment. Encouraging them to balance active and passive screen activities made the difference between feeling good about their increased screen use and my worry that they are online too much.

My boys still don’t have free reign of their screen time. We talk about it daily, how much, what kind, and how it makes them feel. All screens are off by 9:30 p.m. We make time to connect as a family each evening. We make sure that they are getting enough exercise and sleep. So while I still can’t say that I love the screen, it isn’t scaring me as much as it used to. I am more at peace because I see its value for my sons during this time that they are cut off from their friends. I appreciate their giving me a new perspective, especially during these challenging times.

Jenny Michaelson

Tinybeans Voices Contributor

I'm Jenny Michaelson, Ph.D., PCI Certified Parent Coach®. I live in Oakland, California with my family. I love supporting parents through my practice, True North Parent Coaching. Together we uncover strengths and develop strategies to make transformational changes to overcome parenting challenges and bring more joy, ease and fun back to parenting.

ML Interest Tag: son

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