Westchester Children's Museum launches campaign to get kids off of electronic devices
Dr. Emily Koelsch, a pediatrician involved with the campaign, said it also aims to get kids and teens off of their electronic devices.
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Workers at the Westchester Children's Museum launched a new campaign on Wednesday to get kids to cut down on their screen time.
According to Katie Vernace, the acting director of the museum, the initiative is called "Disconnect to Reconnect."
"The 'Disconnect to Reconnect' initiative is about giving parents and their children the tools and the understanding of why it's important to play and connect with each other," Vernace said.
Dr. Emily Koelsch, a pediatrician involved with the campaign, said it also aims to get kids and teens off of their electronic devices.
"I recognize that it's really important that we have our screens and devices in order to get the information that we need, but it shouldn't be the only thing that we do," Dr. Koelsch said.
The launch follows the announcement of Gov. Kathy Hochul's upcoming bell-to-bell smartphone ban in schools.
Michael Orth, the county's commissioner of mental health, said that initiative is critical as his department is already seeing some of the impacts of excessive screen time.
"Yeah, we've seen a lot of young people, young children struggle with more anxiety, depression, and as they get older, suicidality and really being disconnected from their friends, families, and their communities," Orth said.
To start cutting down on some of that screen time, officials are distributing 5,000 free activity kits to organizations in the area.
They're filled with all types of entertaining and interactive items like Play-Doh, crayons and books.
