What Happens When Children Put Their Phones Down?
Lessons from a Community Festival in Surabaya
On a Sunday morning in Surabaya, I witnessed something that is becoming increasingly rare.
Not a new technology.
Not a viral application.
Not the latest educational innovation.
I watched children play.
They ran across the community hall, laughed with one another, built crafts with their hands, balanced on coconut-shell stilts, folded origami figures, and solved puzzles together. For a few hours, screens disappeared into pockets and bags, replaced by curiosity, movement, and human interaction.
The occasion was the Festival Dolanan Nusantara and Patriot Cilik Indonesia, organized by students from the Community Service Program (KKN) of Universitas 17 Agustus 1945 (Untag) Surabaya at RW 7 Karang Menjangan, Mojo Village, Gubeng District.
At first glance, it seemed like a simple holiday event for local children and their parents.
But as the morning unfolded, I realized it was about something much deeper.
It was about reclaiming childhood.
For years, conversations about children and technology have focused on a single question:
How much screen time is too much?
It is an important question, but perhaps it is not the most important one.
A better question might be:
What are children missing while they are looking at screens?
When children engage in traditional games, they are doing far more than simply having fun.
They are learning patience while waiting for their turn.
They are learning resilience when they lose.
They are learning empathy when they cooperate with others.
They are learning negotiation, creativity, emotional regulation, and problem-solving.
These are not skills that can be downloaded.
They emerge through real experiences with real people.
One of the most memorable moments of the festival came from a surprisingly simple activity.
In a game called Guess Your Child, mothers were blindfolded and asked to identify their own children through touch, voice, or subtle characteristics.
The room erupted with laughter.
Parents hesitated, children giggled, and spectators cheered.
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Yet beneath the humor was a powerful reminder.
Human connection is built through familiarity, presence, and shared experiences.
In an era dominated by notifications, algorithms, and endless streams of content, that reminder feels more valuable than ever.
The festival also featured a session on preventing gadget addiction led by psychologist Aulia Ul Haque, M.Psi., Psychologist.
What struck me was that the discussion was not framed as a battle against technology.
Technology is not the enemy.
Smartphones, tablets, and digital platforms have transformed education, communication, and access to information.
The real challenge arises when technology begins to replace experiences that are essential for healthy child development.
Children need opportunities to move, explore, create, imagine, and connect.
Without those experiences, screens can become substitutes for things they were never designed to replace.
Perhaps the solution to excessive screen use does not begin with stricter restrictions.
Perhaps it begins with offering something more meaningful.
A game that sparks imagination.
A craft project that encourages creativity.
A story that inspires courage.
A community that welcomes children into shared experiences.
A parent who is fully present.
These alternatives may seem simple, but they satisfy needs that no device can fully meet.
As I left the festival that afternoon, I kept thinking about how ordinary the event appeared from the outside.
There were no expensive facilities.
No cutting-edge technology.
No sophisticated equipment.
Just children, parents, volunteers, and a community coming together.
And yet, in those few hours, something profoundly important happened.
Children remembered how to play.
Parents remembered how to participate.
And perhaps all of us were reminded of something we often forget:
Children do not simply need entertainment.
They need experiences that help them become who they are.
