No Time for Play? How Joey’s Family Unplugged to Make Him Smile

Lyrics

Mommy come on
Let’s play today,
Let’s play today
I’ve brought out all my big, big toys
come out and play with me

I am busy Joey!!
Ask Jinny!

I’ve got my blocks and teddy bear
It’s not as fun when no one’s there
Jinny come on let’s play today
Come out and play with me

I am busy Joey! Ask Johnny!

Johnny, will you play with me?
I’ll show you all my cars you’ll see!
We’ll build a track with twists and turns
And we can race them too!

I am busy Joey!! Ask Daddy!

Daddy, will you read to me?
I’ve got my Dino book with me
What happened to the dinosaurs
Come on, let's read this book!

I am busy Joey!! Ask Emma!

Emma, will you draw with me,
Color with me and paint with me?
I’ve got the paints and coloring books
It’ll be a lot of fun

I am busy Joey!! Ask Mamma!

I wish we all could play today,
play today, play today
Nobody wants to play with me
It makes me very sad

Look who’s here, It’s mom & dad
Your brother and your sisters too
Let’s go out and play today
We’re gonna have so much fun!

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In a world full of screens and busy schedules, it’s easy to forget what matters most: spending quality time together. In "Emma Says No To The Playtime," little Joey just wants someone to share his toys with. Armed with his favorite blocks, teddy bear, race cars, and dinosaur books, he approaches his Mom, Jinny, Johny, Daddy, and Emma—but everyone is too wrapped up in their phones, tablets, and laptops to notice. After finding Joey sitting heartbroken and alone, the family has a heartwarming realization. They put away their digital distractions, come together, and head outside for some much-needed family playtime. This relatable, catchy nursery rhyme is a gentle, sweet reminder for both kids and adults about the joy of being present with the people we love.

Why Parents and Teachers Love This Song

● A Gentle Lesson on Screen Time: It provides a soft, non-judgmental opening for parents and teachers to discuss healthy digital boundaries with children.
● Empathy and Emotional Literacy: Children learn to recognize facial expressions and body language associated with feeling left out or sad (like Joey sitting alone in the corner), fostering emotional intelligence.
● Encourages Inclusivity: The song emphasizes the importance of noticing when someone is lonely and taking active steps to include them.
● Promotes Active, Outdoor Play: The uplifting finale inspires kids to put down their devices, grab their favorite toys, and head outside.

How to use this page:

● Sing and Read Along: Use the provided lyrics below the video to help early readers connect spoken words with text.
● Pause and Reflect: While watching, pause the video when Joey is rejected by a family member. Ask your child/students: "How do you think Joey feels right now? Look at his face."
● The "Unplug" Cue: Use the song's catchy melody at home or in the classroom as a musical transition cue when it’s time to clean up, put away tablets, and gather for group activities.

Interactive Activity: "The "Put Down the Screen" Board Game"

Objective: Help children visually understand the balance between "screen time" and "green time" (outdoor/creative play) through a cooperative matching game.

Visual Layout & Setup
● The Board: Draw or print a simple grid path leading from a Living Room filled with screens to a Sunny Backyard Playground.
● The Game Tokens: Print out cutout figures of Joey, Emma, Johny, Jinny, Mom, and Dad.
● The Cards (The Core Mechanism): Create a deck of double-sided cards.
- Side A (The Prompt): Features an illustration of a character looking at a device (e.g., Dad on a laptop, Jinny on a tablet).
- Side B (The Solution): Features an illustration of an alternative real-world activity from the lyrics (e.g., Building a block tower, reading a dinosaur book, racing toy cars). character one step closer to the Backyard, the child must call out a fun alternative activity Joey suggested in the song (e.g., "Let's build a car track with twists and turns!").
1. Flip the card over to reveal the happy, active family member. Move the token forward!
2.Win the game by getting the entire family out to the backyard to play with Joey!

What's Included in Your Free Printable Pack:

● 1 x Vibrant Activity Board: A path that guides the family away from digital distractions and into the sunshine!
● 6 x Character Tokens: Cutout counters featuring Mom, Dad, Joey, Jinny, Johny, and Emma.
● Double-Sided Play Cards: Draw a "Screen Time" challenge card, guess the real-world alternative activity from the song, and flip it over to move forward!
● Step-by-Step Instructions: Easy-to-follow rules designed for early childhood play.

How to Play

1. Place all family tokens at the Start (Living Room).
2. A child draws a card showing a character glued to a screen.
3. To move that character one step closer to the Backyard, the child must call out a fun alternative activity Joey suggested in the song (e.g., "Let's build a car track with twists and turns!").
4. Flip the card over to reveal the happy, active family member. Move the token forward!
5. Win the game by getting the entire family out to the backyard to play with Joey!

Put Down the Screen" Board Game"

No Time for Play? How Joey’s Family Unplugged to Make Him Smile

Music Available On :

Interactive Activity: "The "Put Down the Screen" Board Game"

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