VIDEO: Cleveleys kids go-go-gadget free for a week

Pupils from Northfold Community Primary School, on Ringway, forsook Fortnite and took part in trips to the park, card games, walks in the woods and kite-flying on the beach instead after being encouraged by their teachers.

Head teacher Alison Wilson said the week-long campaign began in an effort to stop children copying violent characters from age-inappropriate video games during their playtime games.

She said: “A lot of children spent most of their free time on gadgets and didn’t go outside. We at school saw a difference in the children at play times. They are emulating the characters in these games, which are violent.”

She added that the school was also inspired by the Government’s plans for ‘activity passports’ to be given to children to encourage them to take part in a list of outdoor activities, such as visiting a local landmark or making a treasure map.

“The biggest difference is that the majority of children said they spent more with with their families, because a lot of mums and dads took part as well,” she said. “They have enjoyed doing things like baking and going to the beach.

“Hopefully it will have long-term effects. We don’t think they are never going to go on their games again, but hopefully now there will be more of a mix in what they do.

“It is too early really to see the effect it has on our lunchtime behaviour but we are hopeful that a continuation of a mixture of gadgets and non-gadgets will change how children behave and think.”