But Aunt Matilda isn't real. She is a fictional character and the brainchild of a former Canberra lawyer who is about to launch a new business aimed at getting families to turn off their devices and switch on to the world around them.

From: Aunt Matilda founder Carly Saeedi said when she was a child, she was warned too much television would make her eyes go square.

Born and raised in Canberra, she speaks fondly of a lazy childhood spent outside.

"I'm in my mid-30s and I'm in the last generation that will grow up relatively screen-free," she said.

"I mean, we had TV, which we were told would make our eyes go square, but we didn't have it on demand like kids do today where they can just sit there watching show after show after show."

Mrs Saeedi had strict limits placed on the amount of time she was allowed to spend looking at screens, but these days, many children are unable to tear themselves away.

As revealed by the Sunday Canberra Times last weekend, Australian Bureau of Statistics research shows most Australian children aged between five and 14 are participating in screen-based activities outside school for 10 or more hours each week.

While her children loved being outside – to the point where the family had to stop while driving through Fadden recently to allow five-year-old Anya to climb a tree she'd spotted – kids' increasing obsession with screens got Mrs Saeedi thinking over the summer.

The mother of four decided that instead of returning to the legal profession, she would start From: Aunt Matilda, which launches next month in time for families who sign up to receive their first delivery in early June.

Mrs Saeedi said for a $38.50 monthly subscription fee, families would receive a box of themed items from "Aunt Matilda" that encouraged active play.

The concept was aimed particularly at children aged between three and 11.

"It's a bit of an old-school experience," she told the Sunday Canberra Times.

"A lot of kids these days don't even get mail, so they'll have to wait for it and it won't just be available on demand.

"They'll get a letter from 'Aunt Matilda' with every box. I really want it to be like an adventure."

Mrs Saeedi said themes for the monthly deliveries would include countries, fairytales and elements of nature, and each month's theme would remain a mystery until the box arrived.

The contents of the boxes would be sourced locally, wherever possible, to support local businesses and would include eco-friendly products, artisan items, wooden toys, healthy recipes, musical instruments and books.

"It'll be completely natural, so no plastic, no batteries, no glitter, no electronics," she said.

New national guidelines launched on Thursday recommend no more than two hours of sedentary screen time a day for kids.

The 24-Hour Movement Guidelines for Children and Young People also urge parents to set a good example with their own screen habits, and advocate for at least one hour of moderate to vigorous physical activity each day.

Professor Tony Okely, a physical activity expert at the University of Wollongong, said it was important to clarify that the guidelines referred only to recreational screen time, and did not refer to using electronics for educational purposes.

"The evidence shows that too much recreational screen time when you are sedentary [sitting or lying down] is associated with poorer health outcomes and a negative relationship with obesity, psychosocial health and cognitive development in particular," he said.

"It can also compromise the quality of sleep if it’s done too close to bedtime or during the night."