Whenever we think of teaching technology to kids, one thing comes to our mind that is how can little kids glued their eyes to screen to learn technology. Let’s not worry parents,Unplugged Tots is here. In this post we are having award winning author from UK and mother of two, Hannah Hagon with us. Not to mention, Hanah’s approach is exceptionally superior as she challenges the assumption that tech fluency needs screen time.
TheMommyscorner is all about mommies and children focusing on their lifestyle and development. This is about sharing experiences with tips and tricks to have better motherhood and a healthy development of children. This post is going to be more special as Hannah will be sharing her journey and inspirations to teach technology to kids without screen and in a fun way that is perfect for every families.
Like many parents, Hannah felt the screen-time “guilt spiral” and the lack of toddler-friendly STEM resources. Her solution is a fun, easy to use toolkit that blends computational thinking with social-emotional learning – designed for real family life. Hannah introduces a developmentally smart, neuroscience-backed alternative: screen-free play that builds sequencing, logic, & pattern recognition skills through hands-on activities in her upcoming book Unplugged Tots.
You may like to read : 10 Ways To Reduce Screen Time For Children
So without any further delay let’s get Hannah Hagon on board in this post.
What inspired a mom of two to become an author and how did your journey as a writer begin?
My daughters were the driving force behind Unplugged Tots. The idea was sparked at a family event where I watched them, then just 2 and 4, struggle to engage with screen-based coding games. Screens certainly have their place, but I wanted more balance and something fun, structured, and creative that didn’t rely on devices. Out of that came a resource that fosters problem-solving, imagination, and fine motor skills through play. Every activity has been tested at home with my own children, making the book as much a tool for parents, teachers, and caregivers as it is for kids.
How did you develop your ideas of writing Unplugged Tots?
The book’s development was shaped as much by community as by personal experience. After the isolation of recent years due to COVID, people crave real connection, and I’ve seen how activity-focused books can spark that. At library readings, maker fairs, Raspberry Pi events, and even large-scale conferences, families and educators gather not just to hear about Unplugged Tots, but to share stories, swap tips, and connect. I’ve attended nearly 15 events so far, and each one has helped refine my ideas—showing me what resonates most with children, parents, and teachers alike.
What was the most challenging part of writing Unplugged Tots?
The biggest challenge was taking something as complex as coding and distilling it into play-based activities that are both fun and developmentally appropriate for very young children. I had to reimagine concepts like sequencing and logic in ways a preschooler could grasp, all without it ever feeling like a lesson. Balancing simplicity, engagement, and genuine computational thinking was a constant puzzle, but ultimately, that’s what makes the book work.
What made you ponder teaching technology to kids screen free way?
That moment came at the Raspberry Fields Festival in 2018, when I saw my daughters captivated by the creativity of the tech community. I wanted to nurture that excitement at home, but without defaulting to screens. Devices can be expensive, distracting, and often assume reading skills young children don’t yet have. I wanted to go “back to basics” and see if play itself could teach the foundations of coding. That became the heart of Unplugged Tots.
Can you share a behind-the-scene anecdote while writing Unplugged Tots that readers will love to read ?
My book is very hands- on, so I design my in-person events as experiences where everyone is involved. At one community event, children rotated through activity stations lifted straight from the book. At a teacher meet-up, I shared lesson plan adaptations for use in classrooms. These moments create a mechanism for getting amazing feedback in real-time. It helps me immediately see which activities spark joy, which need tweaking, and how caregivers and educators adapt them for different learners. When a parent or teacher tells me a child has discovered the magic of trying something new because of Unplugged Tots, that’s the most rewarding feedback of all.
Wrap Up
Thank you Hannah for this insightful interview. I am sure our readers will get a new way to foster technology in early years of their children without the guilt of exposing too much time in-front of screen.
