The school holidays are nearly here, which for most families means more time at home, more days out, and — let's be honest — a lot more screen time. Before the summer gets underway, here are a few practical tech tips to help things run a little smoother.
1. Sort Out Screen Time Rules Before the Holidays Start, Not During
Once term ends, routines go out the window, and screen time can quietly creep up without anyone noticing. It's much easier to agree on rules — like device-free mealtimes or a cut-off before bed — before the holidays begin, rather than trying to introduce them halfway through when everyone's already settled into new habits.
You can read our knowledgebase article here:
https://dashboard.ebithost.uk/knowledgebase/article/how-to-configure-screen-time-limits-on-apple-and-android-devices
2. Keep Devices Away From Heat and Sand
Laptops, tablets and phones don't cope well with direct sun, hot cars, or a day at the beach. Leaving a device in a hot car for even a short time can affect the battery, and sand has a habit of working its way into charging ports and speakers. A simple zip-up bag or case is worth packing alongside the sun cream.
3. Update Everything Before You Travel
If you're heading away, it's worth updating phones, tablets and laptops before you leave rather than while you're away on unfamiliar wifi. Updates often include security fixes, and doing this at home on a fast, trusted connection avoids a slow, frustrating update part-way through a journey.
4. Be Careful With Public and Holiday Wifi
Free wifi at holiday parks, cafés, and airports is convenient, but it's not always secure. Avoid logging into banking apps or entering card details over public wifi where possible, and double-check you're connecting to the genuine network name rather than a similarly named fake one.
5. Charge Devices Fully Before Days Out
It sounds obvious, but a flat phone is one of the most common holiday frustrations — especially if it's also your camera, your map, and your way of staying in touch. A portable power bank is a small investment that saves a lot of hassle on longer days out.
6. Back Up Photos as You Go
Summer holidays mean a lot of photos, and a lost or damaged phone shouldn't mean losing all of them too. Where possible, let photos back up automatically to cloud storage, or take a few minutes each evening to transfer them somewhere safe.
7. Keep an Eye on What Kids Are Downloading
With more free time, children often explore new apps and games. It's worth having a quick look at what's being downloaded, checking age ratings, and keeping an eye on in-app purchases — these can add up quickly without anyone realising.
A little bit of preparation now can save a lot of stress later. Have a great summer!
