Once upon a time, in a world so fun,
There were kids who played games by the ton,
With their video games and their screens so bright,
They would play day and night.

But one day, a boy with a tie,
Said, "Kids, enough is enough, let's give it a try,
Let's put down our screens, take off our socks,
And go outside to climb on rocks."

Everyone was hesitant at first,
"But what about our games? They're the best and worst!"
But the boy said, "Come on, let's go for a walk,
We'll have so much fun, we won't even need to talk."

So they all set out and began to explore,
They climbed and ran, and even found a dinosaur,
But just as they were having a blast,
They heard a loud crash, and ran back fast.

They found their friend who had fallen down,
But thankfully, he wasn't hurt and didn't have a frown,
They all realized that sometimes it's good to unplug,
And enjoy the world around them like a bug.

So from that day on, they balanced their play,
They'd go outside and run and jump and sway,
And when they came back, their games were more fun,
Because they didn't play them all day like the sun.

So kids, remember to take a break,
And don't let your games become a mistake,
There's so much to explore, so much to see,
And you'll feel better for it, trust me!

Reflections

Here are some questions to ask kids to think about the story:

1. What did the boy with the tie suggest they do instead of playing video games?
2. How did the kids feel about putting down their screens at first?
3. What did they discover when they went outside to explore?
4. Why was it important that they took a break from their video games?
5. How did the kids feel about playing their video games after their outdoor adventure?
6. Have you ever had to balance different activities in your life, like screen time and outdoor play?
7. What are some outdoor activities you enjoy doing with your friends and family?