Less YouTube and Video Games For Kids Most parents I speak with worry about how...

Less YouTube and Video Games For Kids

Most parents I speak with worry about how their kids spend their summer holidays. Too often, the default is endless video games, where nothing tangible remains at the end of the day. I wanted something better for my 12-year-old son. So I created what we now call his Summer Mission Plan.

Here is how it works:

• I designed a list of creative, exploratory, outdoor, and practical activities, each framed as a mission with a clear time block. These go into a binder for him to reference.
• Every mission ends with proof of accomplishment, a photo, video, story, or artwork, which he emails to me. This creates a permanent archive of his summer, unlike video games where progress disappears.
• Examples include: building unique LEGO creations and writing descriptions as if they were in a museum, turning hand-drawn sketches into professional digital art with AI prompts, making stop-motion films, running science experiments, documenting our hikes with photos and captions, writing letters to cousins, and even household chores reframed as heroic quests.

Why do this? Because children need more than entertainment, they need purposeful activity that leaves a trail of memory and mastery. By the end of summer, my son will have not just stories, but a portfolio of his creations and contributions. He will also have practiced good digital habits, like saving his best AI prompts for future use.

Other parents can adapt this easily. Think about your child’s tools and interests: LEGO, clay, paints, books, hikes, or a camera phone. Frame each activity as a mission, give it a time boundary, and make sure there is always a physical or digital record at the end. Then, require them to send it by email, this builds accountability and ensures the memories are preserved.

Entertainment is easy. Accomplishment is lasting. If you want your child’s summer to mean something, give them missions that build both joy and legacy.