Navigating the Digital Jungle

🌿 SCREEN-FREE SUMMER CHALLENGE 2026 – WEEK 1 🌿

🌳 Make Nature Your Playground

Welcome to Week 1 of our Screen-Free Summer Challenge 2026 🎉

This summer, I'm inviting families to make a few simple changes that can make a big difference.

This isn't about banning screens or aiming for perfection. It's about finding a healthier balance and creating more opportunities for children to play, explore, laugh and connect.

This week's challenge...
Swap a little screen time for green time.

Spend at least 30 minutes outdoors every day this week.

It doesn't have to be anything elaborate or expensive.

Childhood magic often happens in the simplest moments.

You could:

🌳 Build a den
🐞 Hunt for mini beasts
🚲 Ride a bike
⚽ Kick a football
🌼 Pick flowers
☁️ Watch the clouds
🎨 Draw with chalk
🍃 Collect leaves, sticks or stones
🌈 Splash in paddling pools

The aim isn't to eliminate screens.
It's to remind ourselves that some of childhood's happiest memories are made away from them.

💚 I'd love you to join in.

Share your adventures & favourite outdoor places or tell us how your family got on this week.

👇 Join us here:
https://lnkd.in/diezzmas

🤝Invite a friend to join the challenge or share with the families you work with.

Let's encourage one another and celebrate the small wins together.
Because small changes really can make a big difference.

Have fun!
Sue 🎈

🌞 Welcome to the Screen-Free Summer Challenge 2026!l‼️

Over the next six weeks I’ll be sharing one simple challenge each week to help your family enjoy a little less screen time and a little more connection, conversation and fun.

This isn’t about banning technology or being perfect. It’s about making small changes that can make a big difference.

Whether you complete every challenge or just try one or two, you’re welcome to join us.

This week’s challenge will be revealed on Monday.

Invite a friend, join the conversation in my Facebook group and let’s make this our best summer yet

👇 Join us here:
https://lnkd.in/diezzmas

Some books are planned. Others are written because of the conversations you have along the way

When I first created my Little Explorers: Navigating the Digital Jungle™ series, I thought I was writing stories to help children navigate technology wisely

Nine books later, I've realised I'm actually writing about something much bigger

I'm writing about protecting childhood

Over the past year, I've had the privilege of talking with, listening to or reading inspiring people like Dr June O'Sullivan OBE, Dr Aaron Bradbury, Emily Jennings, Professor Sam Wass and Rebecca Oberg

Alongside countless conversations with parents, teachers, nursery leaders & children themselves, one idea kept returning

Play isn't just something children enjoy. It's how childhood works

As we've become increasingly focused on smartphones, social media, AI & screens, I've found myself asking a different question

What are children missing when they're not playing?

The answer is... so much

Through imaginative, child-led play, children build language, confidence, resilience, creativity, emotional regulation & friendships. They learn to negotiate, solve problems, take sensible risks, make sense of the world & discover who they are

That's why I wrote Book 9 – The Playful Tiger Cub™.

Rather than ending the series with another warning about technology, I wanted to end it with hope

Because the antidote to excessive screen time isn't simply taking screens away

It's giving children something even better to run towards

A den in the garden. A cardboard box. A muddy puddle. A game of hide and seek. A story invented together. A stick that becomes a sword, a wand or a fishing rod

A conversation around the table

Time. Space. Freedom to imagine.

Technology will always be part of childhood but play is what helps children become who they're meant to be

Looking back at this image, I realise it represents far more than the beginning of a book series. It represents a journey of listening, learning & refining my thinking

So, thank you to everyone whose conversations have inspired me

I hope The Playful Tiger Cub reminds families that some of life's greatest adventures don't need batteries, Wi-Fi or notifications

They simply need someone to say... ‘Let's play’ 🐯

One final confession - writing the stories is the easy part

Getting them into the hands of the children, parents, nurseries & schools who need them is an entirely different challenge

If you're brilliant at children's publishing, book marketing, PR, licensing or helping purpose-driven ideas find their audience, I'd genuinely love to connect

I know there are people out there who've walked this path before & I'd value your wisdom

I believe these stories can start conversations that matter.

A walk in nature walks the soul back home. 🌿🌳🍃 ~ Mary Davis

For parents everywhere, the smartphone has become a necessary evil. Some of us wonder if we’re doing it right and whether phone use is impacting their mental and physical health. Tap the link in the first comment to learn more. ⬇️

I'm delighted to be joining the Peerscroller Advisory Panel.

Throughout my career, I've been passionate about helping children and families navigate the digital world with confidence, curiosity and common sense. That's why I'm excited to work alongside such an experienced group of educators and experts to help shape technology that genuinely puts children's wellbeing first.

As AI and digital technology become an ever bigger part of childhood, we have a responsibility to ensure innovation is balanced with safety, healthy development and strong relationships.

I'm looking forward to contributing my experience as a parenting expert, broadcaster and author, and to collaborating with the brilliant team at Peerscroller as we help create safer, more empowering digital experiences for young people.

Here's to making a positive difference together. 🌍

📱 Tired of repeating the same screen time rules every day?

You're not alone. Many families struggle with technology because expectations haven't been agreed together.

The Family Technology Contract helps you create clear, age-appropriate agreements around screen time, smartphones, gaming, and online behaviour, so everyone knows what to expect.

✨ Less arguing. More understanding. Healthier digital habits for the whole family.

🔗 Download your Family Technology Contract here:
https://navigatingthedigitaljungle.com/product/navigating-the-digital-jungle-family-technology-contracts/