Oakland event held to get kids outdoors, away from social media
With concern mounting over how much time young people spend scrolling, Oakland spent Sunday celebrating something gloriously low-tech: sunshine, games, and face-to-face connection. A coalition of community groups staged a back-to-basics festival designed to remind families that the best feeds don’t require a screen.
Play over push notifications
Music pulsed through the park as the Words of Wisdom dance team took the floor, drawing cheers for pure, human energy. Dancer Kyatta Collins said too many teens feel isolated behind their phones; when she’s moving with her crew, she feels present, grounded, and part of something bigger.
The “Offline Oakland” gathering kept things simple: four-square, cornhole, pick‑up soccer, and hands-on arts and crafts. The turnout was modest, but the vibe was all in, with kids and parents rediscovering the thrill of analog play.
- Old-school playground games
- Casual sports that got everyone moving
- Craft tables for coloring, drawing, and making
Choosing IRL
Rebecca Goldberg of the Fund IRL Coalition said the afternoon was about practicing presence. In a world where both kids and adults are glued to their devices, she argued that stepping away—even briefly—can reset our attention and strengthen community bonds.
Darius Parker from Youth Speaks acknowledged he uses his phone a lot, but said he’s working to be intentional: taking breaks, touching grass, and prioritizing time with family and neighbors so social media doesn’t swallow the day.
Policy winds are shifting
The cultural moment is changing, too. A recent legal settlement involving a major social media company could channel as much as $2 billion to California to address the impacts of youth screen time and online engagement. How those dollars will be deployed is still undecided, but youth advocates at the event want to see expanded after‑school learning, development programs, and sustained mental-health support alongside digital literacy.
From tobacco lessons to timeline habits
Josefina Alvarado Mena, who leads the nonprofit Safe Passages, pointed to the anti‑smoking movement as a playbook. What once felt impossible—a generational shift away from cigarettes—became reality through policy, education, and community action. She believes similar strategies can help young people step back from compulsive scrolling and reclaim more in‑person, real‑time connection.
Hands, paint, and presence
Spray‑can artist Jonathan Brumfield championed the joy of making something tangible. In an era when algorithms can whip up near‑instant imagery, he said there’s special value in the mess, texture, and human intent of hand‑made work. He doesn’t dismiss new tools, but worries culture sometimes prizes quick, machine‑assisted output over the grit of craft and excellence.
That idea resonated with seven‑year‑old Brandon, who spent part of the day at the coloring table but said he prefers sketching his own scenes to printing templates. For him, being outdoors—with sights, sounds, and people swirling around—sparks ideas a search bar can’t.
Why this matters for games and VR
For those of us tracking the future of games and immersive tech, Oakland’s afternoon wasn’t anti‑tech; it was pro‑balance. Kids still love games, whether they’re played on courts, consoles, or headsets. But unstructured play, physical movement, and eye‑to‑eye conversation are irreplaceable—foundations that actually make digital experiences healthier and more meaningful.
If the anticipated funding arrives, organizers hope it supports hybrid approaches: coding clubs that kick off after a quick soccer scrimmage, VR labs that complement mural walks, spoken‑word workshops that end with open‑mic circles. The goal isn’t to reject screens, but to ensure they don’t crowd out the world beyond them.
By the time the speakers powered down, the message felt refreshingly simple: when the beat drops and the ball’s in play, notifications can wait. Community doesn’t need a login—and it doesn’t disappear at the tap of a key.
