How I Got My Grandkids to Put Down Their Cell Phones When They Come Home

We live in an age where cell phones have become an extension of the body, even for the little ones. When my grandchildren came to visit me, I used to get excited thinking about the games, the talks, and the laughs. But instead, he saw their faces lit up by screens, abstracted in a digital world that took them away from the present moment.

It was then that I decided to act, not with punishments or prohibitions, but with simple, creative and loving strategies. Today, I can proudly say that my grandchildren look forward to our screen-free afternoons.

Here’s how I did it.

1. Create a special space for them

I designed a corner of the house designed especially for them. A wooden table, board games, picture books, colored pencils, and paper. It was not something expensive, but to generate an environment that invites them to stay. That space became “the magic table,” where we create drawings, write stories, and put puzzles together.

2. Activities that arouse curiosity

Every time they came, I proposed a new activity: making homemade bread, planting a seed in a pot, building a birdhouse or preparing a simple recipe. I found that when a child has their hands full and their mind curious, they don’t miss the screen.

3. Stories told out loud

I rescued a habit from my childhood: telling stories. No images, no special effects. Just my voice, his attentive eyes and a story that catches them. I started with traditional stories, then I invented characters inspired by themselves. They even asked me to continue the stories on the next visits.

4. Games that involve movement

We organize treasure hunts in the garden, games with clues, sack races or balance challenges. Laughter replaced the silence of notifications, and the connection between us grew without the need for technology.

5. Love rule, not imposition

I never prohibited them from using cell phones in a categorical way. I proposed that we have a “screen-free time” when we arrived, as an agreement between us. Seeing how fun the time together was, they themselves began to leave the cell phone in the backpack without me asking for it.

6. Active participation

The most important thing was to be present. It’s not just about giving them games or activities, but about sharing that moment with them. Children value when an adult sits down to play, paint or simply listen.

That attention is more powerful than any screen!

FINAL REFLECTION:

Recovering the bond with my grandchildren without technology getting in the way was possible thanks to small gestures, perseverance and a lot of affection. It is not about being against the cell phone, but about teaching them that there is a wonderful world beyond the screen, full of affection, creativity and unrepeatable moments. And that starts at home, with presence and love!