Millennial, Gen Z parents push hands-on play to curb kids’ screen habits

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Half of America’s young parents are struggling to bond with their kids, and the culprit is nearly inescapable: screen time.

The poll of 2,000 U.S. millennial and Gen Z parents found 42% of them feel disconnected from their children due to technology, with kids spending an average of four hours in front of screens on a typical day.

As a result, parents said they notice their kids are easily distracted (42%), get less physical activity (42%), can be irritable (34%), have trouble sleeping (30%) and disengage with people around them (30%).

Commissioned by Lowe’s (https://www.lowes.com) and conducted by Talker Research, the study revealed over half of parents (54%) try to encourage less screen time for their kids by providing them with more hands-on activities and outlets, like playing with toys (68%), helping around the home (66%) and coloring (66%).

Other activities, like crafts (63%), reading (60%), building (44%) and STEM-based activities (42%) were also popular ways parents get their kids away from screens.

This can be harder in the winter season, as more than half (56%) of parents say screen time increases when temperatures drop or the weather turns bad.

Parents spend an average of 10 hours per week looking for non-screen activities for their kids and wish they had more free activities for their kids nearby.

Those activities include things they can do as a family (58%), be outdoors (56%), DIY workshops (48%), creative arts and crafts (48%) and educational activities (39%).

For many parents, the inspiration to encourage hands-on activities away from screens comes from their own childhood.

Nearly half (46%) recalled frequently participating in DIY projects with their own parents growing up, and they recall feelings of happiness (58%), creativity (56%), satisfaction (47%) and confidence (40%) from those experiences.

With those fond memories in mind, seven in 10 have tried to recreate those activities with their own children.

Eighty-seven percent of parents believe doing DIY projects with their kids would help strengthen their bond, in addition to teaching patience (63%), expressing creativity (59%) and learning how to work better with others (56%).

Survey methodology

Talker Research surveyed 2,000 American millennial and Gen Z parents of children aged 2 – 18 who have access to the internet; the survey was commissioned by Lowe’s and administered and conducted online by Talker Research between Jan. 13 and Jan. 19, 2026. A link to the questionnaire can be found here.

To view the complete methodology as part of AAPOR’s Transparency Initiative, please visit the Talker Research Process and Methodology page.

Survey questions

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