Seven golden rules that can stop children from spending too much time on their electronic devices

For many children, the long summer holidays are a chance to turn off from school – and switch on electronic devices.

Now a leading headmaster has urged parents to make youngsters do seven activities every day before being allowed to play with their iPads, video games or mobile phones.

Shaun Fenton, head of Reigate Grammar School in Surrey, has drawn up a list of ‘Super Seven Summer’ activities.

These are tasks ‘children should do each day before they’re allowed to disappear into their bedrooms to resume their social media love-in or reach for the games console’.

Mr Fenton, son of 1970s rock star Alvin Stardust, advises parents to ask children to tick off the activities from a list before they can go online.

The activities are: Getting up, washed and fully dressed without being reminded; making, eating and clearing away breakfast; taking the dog for a walk (your own or a neighbour’s); getting some exercise – a swim, bike ride or jog; playing a board game; doing a household chore such as stacking the dishwasher; reading a book.

Mr Fenton, chairman-elect of the Headmasters’ and Headmistresses’ Conference, which represents leading private schools, says children’s holidays will combine structured and unstructured time every day if his rules are followed.

‘I am a great fan of children having some unstructured time when they are “bored” and need to rely on their creativity and initiative to entertain and amuse themselves,’ he told The Sunday Times.

‘But from bitter experience I know that an entirely unstructured long summer break can mean children lose good habits to lethargy, and the games console can act like the dementors in Harry Potter sucking out children’s minds and souls.’