The Princess of Wales urges parents to stop smartphone ‘disconnection’, but how?

The Princess of Wales, one of the nation’s most high-profile mothers, has called on families to step away from smartphones and fully engage with one another. She urges parents to “look the people you care about in the eye and be truly present – because that’s where love begins.” Highlighting the negative impact of constant screen use on family life, she emphasises how it can affect children’s social, emotional, mental, and physical development. Clare Shaw, teacher and founder of Mini Mozart, explains how families can replace screen time with activities that strengthen bonds and foster healthy relationships.

Music Encourages Presence

Introduce children to activities that stimulate dopamine without screens, especially through music. Music is a powerful way to create shared experiences, encouraging everyone to focus on the present moment. Gentle tunes or lullabies can soothe nerves, while interactive listening—like clapping or singing along—helps both parents and children practice attention skills and connect more deeply.

Music Sparks Meaningful Conversations

Listening to music together can also open the door to engaging discussions. Explore folk songs or traditional music from around the world, and encourage children to talk about what they hear, how it makes them feel, or what they like about it. These conversations, sparked by music, can nurture curiosity, empathy, and communication skills.

Dance to Boost Happiness

Energetic activities like dancing release feel-good chemicals, including serotonin and endorphins. Encourage children to move to the rhythm, play simple instruments like shakers or xylophones, or dance freely. Dancing helps children (and adults) reconnect with their bodies, an important counterbalance to the mental preoccupation screens often encourage. A fun game is to play music and have your child “freeze” whenever the music stops, making movement playful and interactive.

Connect Through Singing

Bonding doesn’t always require deep conversations—singing together can be just as effective. Even if you’re not confident in your voice, joining your child in singing can create joy and strengthen your connection. You can sing along to favourite songs or turn routine instructions into little musical moments, adding fun to everyday life.

Clare Shaw of Mini Mozart notes: “At Mini Mozart we concur with the findings of the report from the Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood as presented by The Princess of Wales and Professor Robert Waldinger from Harvard Medical School. The early years are a time of boundless energy, endless curiosity and a whirlwind of emotions. As teachers and parents we know all too well the challenges that come with helping little ones to navigate this critical time in their lives.”

She continues: “Placing children in front of a screen can be a quick and easy way to distract them when you’re busy or to calm them and to create a peaceful atmosphere at home. But digital pacifiers are detrimental to family relationships. Early childhood is a critical time for building family bonds so it’s vital to incorporate healthy non-screen habits during these ripe development years. Introducing music and movement based activities brings joy and is a really good way to look people you care about in the eye and be fully there."

About Mini Mozart

Established in 2005, Mini Mozart offers over 100 live orchestral music classes per week for babies and toddlers across 50 venues in London, Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire and Surrey. At Mini Mozart children engage with orchestral music played by professional musicians (all music graduates) in a way that is impossible with recorded music. The classes are not designed to be static ‘baby friendly’ concerts or recitals, the children are encouraged to pluck, press, blow, scrape, bang whatever instrument is on offer. Each class features two or more live orchestral instruments with a piano accompanist. If a child completes the Mini Mozart course from baby to the start of school (reception) then they will have interacted with almost every orchestral instrument.

Mini Mozart prides itself on getting the children school ready. Besides the musicality and rhythm skills, children gain transferable skills including fine motor, language and social skills plus qualities such as confidence, curiosity, discipline and respect.

The company also provides entertainment for birthday parties or other celebrations and in nurseries by using music to support the EYFS Statutory Framework. Aside from in person sessions, Mini Mozart offers online classes which are available on-demand for £5 a month.

To help to make classical music available to all, the company offers a bursary scheme. Mini Mozart invites applications from families in receipt of Universal Credit or similar. The scheme offers selected children an 80% discount at their local class. Currently, Mini Mozart is seeking local businesses to sponsor families to give them the opportunity to enjoy the Mini Mozart experience.

About Clare-Louise Shaw, Founder, Mini Mozart

Mini Mozart was created by Clare-Louise Shaw in 2005 and is the culmination of over 20 years of experience combining musicianship, presenting and parenting.

After gaining a music scholarship at Uppingham School and a music degree from Newcastle University, Clare joined BBC Music. There she worked with all of her heroes at the BBC Symphony Orchestra and The Proms winding up as a TV presenter for programmes like BBC Young Musician of the Year and The Proms.

In 2005, whilst on maternity leave, Clare decided to pursue a new venture. She already had a love of working with children and music having previously been a singer at Disneyland Paris. Her lightbulb moment came when she saw how much her son loved it when she played the violin, clarinet and piano to him. Without delay, she got her anti-natal group and her instruments together with a piano accompanist. And just like that, Mini Mozart was born. Through Mini Mozart, Clare has been able to combine her true passions of music, children and communication.

Clare is a graduate of the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses UK programme in conjunction with the Saïd Business School, University of Oxford. As an owner and leader of a small business, Clare has been instrumental in creating jobs, economic and educational opportunities to the communities that she serves.