Kiwi Kids Choose The Wild Over Wi-Fi In New Series Launching For The School Holidays

As the Easter break and school holidays approach, a new New Zealand series is encouraging families to swap screen time for real-world adventure.

Kids Unplugged, launching 2 April, follows adventurous tamariki who are choosing the wild over Wi-Fi — hiking through the bush to hidden huts, riding horses along beaches, gathering wild kai from the ngahere, building mountain bike trails and even cycling across the country for a cause.

Hosted by brothers Malachi (15), Judah (12) and Ezra (7) Steel, the six-part documentary web series celebrates childhood curiosity, resilience and connection to nature, showcasing real kids discovering confidence and purpose through outdoor challenge.

The series arrives at a time when many parents are increasingly concerned about how much time their children spend on screens.

The conversation around children’s digital wellbeing has gained fresh urgency following last week’s legal action against Meta Platforms, the parent company of Instagram and Facebook. The case has reignited global debate about the impact of social media on young people’s mental health — making the themes explored in Kids Unplugged particularly timely.

Research from New Zealand suggests 88% of children exceed recommended recreational screen-time limits, with more than 90% of 10–14 year olds spending over two hours a day on screens. Large international studies also link more than four hours of daily recreational screen time with increased risks of anxiety, depression and behavioural difficulties in young people.

Social psychologist Jonathan Haidt has argued that the global shift toward what he calls a “phone-based childhood” coincides with rising rates of youth anxiety and depression.

Rather than criticising technology, Kids Unplugged highlights what becomes possible when young people unplug and reconnect with the real world.

“We always hear about the risks of being on screens, but nobody really talks about the benefits of being off them,” says 12-year-old host Judah Steel.

“When you don’t have a screen you learn how to be creative, you become resilient, fit, happy and connected.”

Each episode introduces young people whose lives have been shaped by outdoor adventure and purpose — from a teenager who transformed his life after stepping away from screens and discovering mountain biking, to a whānau exploring Aotearoa’s backcountry huts, and a Rotorua teen gathering pūhā and pikopiko with her family to cook a wild kai feast.

"At a time when so much of the conversation about screens can feel heavy, Kids Unplugged is a genuinely uplifting resource for parents, whānau and educators alike.” - Nicole Green, B416 CEO

The series was created by Bay of Plenty filmmakers Anton Steel and Kylie Dellabarca Steel, whose production company The CommonUnity Lens focuses on stories celebrating people, place and positive change.

Producer Kylie Dellabarca Steel says the series aims to remind families what childhood can look like beyond the glow of a screen.

“Technology can be a great tool, but for children to truly thrive, we know they need recreational time that is fun, play-based, energetic and outdoors. That’s the kind of childhood we all hope for our tamariki — and Kids Unplugged aims to inspire more of that.”

With school holidays approaching, the creators hope the series encourages families to rediscover the freedom and joy of time spent outdoors.

Kids Unplugged launches 2 April 2026 on YouTube (@KidsUnpluggedNZ) and other platforms.

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