Bay-Arenac ISD hosts “Unplug and Play” event to encourage screen-free family time

Families are invited to put down their devices and spend a day playing together at “Unplug and Play: Great Lakes Bay,” a free Winterfest event set for Feb. 21 at Bay City Town Center.

The family-friendly celebration will run from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. throughout Bay City Town Center, located at 4101 East Wilder Rd, Bay City. The day will feature bounce houses, a kid zone, face painting, an obstacle course and appearances by popular children’s characters such as Buzz Lightyear and Bluey.

“It’s just a fun event,” says Niki Napolitano, Assistant Director of Early Childhood Bay-Arenac ISD. “But more importantly, it’s also about making sure that families have time to connect in a way that isn’t just about screen time.”

Organizers say the event is designed to help parents and children step away from technology and rediscover simple, shared activities. Along with games and entertainment, food is free and families can take home bags filled with resources for screen-free play and community support services.

To make the event welcoming and inclusive, planners have built in quiet and learning-focused spaces.

“We’ve made sure that any family feels like they can belong and be a part here,” says Maggie Dwan, Family Engagement and Literacy Hub Coordinator for Bay-Arenac ISD. “We have rooms that are going to be literacy focused, and we have a sensory room that’s going to provide a place to cool down and gather your bearings before you run out and see Bluey again.”

The event will also feature informational tables from community partners, including the CAN Council, local school districts and area health departments. Parents will be able to pick up guidance on children’s media use, local services and other supports.

Napolitano said the goal is to help parents navigate a time when children are surrounded by technology and often pushing for their own devices.

“Children are just so inundated with technology, and it’s incredible and exciting, but it’s also a time where a parent has to make a lot of decisions about what’s appropriate,” she said. “We want to make sure that families feel informed so they can make decisions that are appropriate for children at different ages — when media should be used, when it should be monitored — and what works best for their family.”

“Unplug and Play: Great Lakes Bay” is part of a regional effort involving multiple intermediate school districts, including Bay-Arenac, Clare, Gladwin, Midland, Saginaw, and others across the Great Lakes Bay region.

Event details and additional resources on children’s screen time are available on Bay-Arenac ISD’s website, as well as the Fewer Than Five site, which offers screen-time awareness information for families.

The event is free, and families can enter through any mall door to find activities spread throughout Bay City Town Center.