Submitted by Natalia Chanko, HK Youth Unplugged
(January 9, 2026) — Haddam Killingworth Youth and Family Services (HKYFS), HK Youth Unplugged, the Killingworth Library, and Shoreline Therapy Center are partnering together to provide the community with a two-part family activity at Killingworth Library on January 24, 2026. Families of children in grades kindergarten through five are invited to join this one-hour event from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
For part one, children will join Miss Fig for an “unplugged” themed story paired with an activity to explore ways they can “unplug” at home. Simultaneously, adults will join HKYFS, HK Youth Unplugged, and Shoreline Therapy Center organizers for a discussion about a very important, hot topic: “Unplugging Our Kids…Without Losing Ourselves.” The conversation will cover practical tips, tricks and strategies to help families step away from screens, reclaim family time, and break challenging device habits.
For part two of the event, parents and children will work together for a fun, hands-on activity. Families will have the opportunity to design a creative marble maze and work together as a team and community to connect and have fun!
The hosting organizations have spent months planning various “Unplugged” events as a strong and caring response to the rise in the use of technology and its growing presence. Everyday life is dominated by screens. We are saturated with technology at every turn, and many find it challenging to juggle life’s responsibilities, family time, and the changing landscape of technology use. Experts are becoming increasingly concerned about the negative impact of screens on child development, mental health, attention, and social interactions.
It is paramount for the community to come together in a joint effort to strike a balance between responsible technology use and the importance of real-world interaction, as well as a play-based childhood for developing youth.
In addition to this family activity, a parent education and support workshop is being offered to families who are interested in learning strategies for helping their kids balance and remain safe in today’s world. The National Center for Online Safety team will join us for a one-hour virtual presentation tailored toward “Parenting in the Smartphone Years.” Already said yes to a phone? No problem. Discover how to reset expectations, spot red flags, lead the five must-have safety conversations, and partner with your child for healthier tech use.
For more information about either event and to register, please visit www.hkyfs.org/event/. A limited number of seats are available. We are looking forward to working with the community on this very important mission!
Haddam Killingworth Youth and Family Services (HKYFS) is a non-profit agency that provides essential community services including counseling, mentoring, community outreach, youth and family programs, substance abuse prevention and more. Shoreline Therapy Center is a mental health practice with multiple locations in Connecticut, that offers personalized therapy for children, adolescents, adults and families with a variety of supports. HK Youth Unplugged is a parent-led group that aims to bring community awareness to the importance of responsible technology use and the importance of a play-based childhood.
