Everywhere you look, both online and beyond, there’s talk of going analogue in 2026 - ironic perhaps, but understandable.

Many of us are feeling worn out by constant screens, which is why hands-on hobbies and practical skills are  “in” again.

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But it raises an important question: how can we also help children build a healthier, more thoughtful relationship with technology?

Amid a growing wave of headlines, documentaries, and wider media discussion, alongside calls for smartphone bans and screen-free childhoods, groups like Smartphone Free Childhood are doing important work, rightly challenging the way children are introduced to technology in the first place.

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This is where Team Repair comes in

Children today grow up surrounded by technology, yet often have little opportunity to understand how it actually works.

Rather than removing technology altogether, one way to change that is through the skill of repair.

When young people take things apart and fix them, they move from being passive users of technology to active problem-solvers. Along the way, they’re also building a practical understanding of science, engineering, and how technology really works.

And in a world that’s constantly pushing the next upgrade, it also quietly teaches that fixing what we already have is possible! 😊

In fact, if the conversation moves toward banning or limiting smartphones and screens, repair can be the next step, giving children agency over the technology they do use, while also fostering sustainability. Learning to fix, reuse, and extend the life of devices isn’t just good for kids’ skills and confidence; it’s good for the environment too.

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