2025 Holiday Gift Guide
Welcome to the second Holiday Gift Guide from New Canaan Unplugged! We hope you find hours of screen-free fun and connection in these “lower-tech” gift recommendations. Happy Holidays!
SIMPLE DEVICES
- Camera - Fujifilm Instax, Polaroid, Camp Snap
- Music Player - Mighty Vibe, Campfire Player
- Digital Watch - Casio G-Shock, Swatch
- Drawing Tablet - Boogie Board
- Alarm Clock - Click HERE for a list of the 10 best alarm clocks for kids from Parents.com
- Land Line - Tin Can Phone
HANDS ON FUN
- Arts & Crafts - Woobles Crochet Kits, Wool Buddy Felting Kits
- Card Games - Rat-a-tat Cat, Avocado Smash, Sky-Jo
- Build your own - Snap Circuits, TekPet Puzzle Toys, Arc Kits, Legos
- Kids Magazine Subscription - The Week Jr, Kazoo Magazine, Nat Geo Kids
LOCAL EXPERIENCES
- Norwalk - Maritime Aquarium, Stepping Stones Museum
- Greenwich - The Bruce Museum
- Ridgefield - Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum
- New Haven - IT Adventure Ropes Course, Yale Peabody Museum, Mew Haven Cat Cafe
- Bridgeport - Beardsley Zoo, Adventure Park at Discovery Museum
BOOK DISCUSSION
Please join the New Canaan Unplugged team on FRIDAY DECEMBER 5, 2025 at 9:30am at Le Pan Quotidien for an open and lively discussion about Dr. Jean Twenge's book, 10 Rules for Raising Kids in a High Tech World.
Don't worry if you haven't finished it yet! We will break down her rules and talk about where and how we've incorporated them into our own family device management. You can also prep by listening to Dr. Twenge on the most recent episode of the "Good Inside" podcast hosted by Dr. Becky.
We look forward to seeing you there!
ARTICLES WORTH YOUR TIME
No Phones In NJ Schools? New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy said a bell-to-bell phone-free school policy is "among, if not the highest priority" he has. Additionally, he has supporters at the highest levels of the state legislature who may propel New Jersey to be the next state with a strong policy around phones in school. Click HERE to read the article.
Not ALL Screen time is bad - Dr. Jonathan Haidt says that not all screen time is equal. The real problem, he argues, is short, addictive content on screens kids can touch, like smartphones and tablets. Instead of isolating kids behind their personal screens, schedule a family movie night. It will pull the family together — and can even spark fun dinner table conversations. Click HERE to read the piece in Axios.
Help New Canaan Unplug
If you are interested in creating a healthier relationship with technology for our children, please check out our survey HERE to let us know how you can help.
New Canaan Unplugged is a parent-run group completely independent from the New Canaan Public School System and the Town of New Canaan.
