Written by Neha Rathod
All parents today have the same complaint – screens have swallowed up childhood whole. Outdoor play has been reduced to rare weekends, reading has been replaced by scrolling, and “five more minutes” has become the most repeated phrase in modern parenting. What were once evenings filled with cousins, neighbors, and outdoor games turned into hours spent with tablets and consoles. Kids meet their friends online, laughter happens in chat, and even boredom needs a password. Childhood, which was full of scratches and stories, is now framed inside the screen. So this is Children’s Day.
The Indian Express decided to flip the script, asking kids themselves: What would they happily replace their screens with? Their answers—funny, honest, and refreshingly real—remind us that far from the pixels, kids still yearn for people, play, and the pure joy of being there.
Marissa Abraham, 9
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“On school days, I watch about an hour of TV, and up to three hours during holidays. But I happily replace that by sleeping until 11, hanging out with my friends, and being in a band. We’re even writing our own song, ‘Water Droplets’! One day, we want to be as famous as Huntrix.”
Ahana Rathod, 12
“My screen time exceeds 30 minutes on school days – between school, classes and sports, there’s hardly any time left! But if I could trade that for anything, it would be to cook something new in the kitchen, play board games with friends, or just spend time playing the piano or writing in my journal. It’s not that I don’t want to do these things – it’s just that I wish I had more time for them.”
Anaya Oswal, 11
“I spend an hour or two in front of screens every day, but I replace that by cycling with my friends but not everyone is always available.
Vihaan Rathod, 14
“My screen time is about an hour or two a day, and a little more on weekends. But if my friends call to play football or cricket, the phone can wait!” I used to replace screen time with real goals, real laughter, and real games on the grass – but not all friends come to play every day.
Princess Gundisha, 9
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“My TV or mobile time is no more than 20 minutes a day. But I replace that by playing with my friends, cousins and family. I love a place where everyone forgets their routine and just plays together.”
Arihan Kankaria, 13
Weekdays mean about two hours of screen time, but weekends are for the outdoors! I would replace the gear if my parents accompanied me swimming every day.
Liana Monigetti, 13
“After long school hours, I like to relax with my phone or watch a show. But if I could replace that, I would spend that time with my best friend – shopping, chatting and laughing.
The writer is an intern at The Indian Express
(tags for translation) Screen time for kids
