The school year is winding down. The weather’s warming up and the days are getting longer. But my kids are still little glassy-eyed screen-time zombies.
During the winter, our TV time increases. It becomes a habit. A go-to. And I don’t feel guilty in the least. But how can I feel okay with letting blue-light bathe their precious faces, when they should be soaking up the warm, vitamin D laden rays of the sun instead?
I can’t.
So let’s get creative.
101 ideas for screen-free fun:
Sunny days
- pick wildflowers
- take a walk
- draw with sidewalk chalk
- go cloud watching
- have a picnic
Rainy days
- read a book
- go puddle jumping
- have a tea and toast party
- watch raindrops race down the window
- set out an indoor picnic
- lie in bed and listen to the rain on the roof
Night time
- make flashlight shadows
- have a campfire
- make s’mores on the grill
- play glow stick tag
- count the stars
- catch fireflies
- take out the sparklers
Get in touch with nature:
- relax and do some bird watching
- classify trees
- search for bugs
- try leaf rubbings
- watch the bees
- roll down a hill
- play in the dirt
- catch frogs
Get to know yourself
- start a journal
- imagine yourself in 5 years
- write a short autobiography
- draw a self portrait
- do some mindfulness exercises
Be creative
- write a song
- make paper flowers
- bake cookies
- write a poem
- design your dream home
- paint old boards with washable paint
Day trips and dates:
- visit a local aquarium or zoo
- go out for ice cream
- have a beach day
- take a coffee shop trip
- play at an indoor playground
- play at an outdoor playground
- visit a farm or pet store
- visit a historic building or shrine
Get moving
- race around the yard
- try some new rump rope tricks
- take a bike ride
- have a dance party in the living room
- set up a relay race
- make a backyard obstacle course
Cool down time
- play with a bucket of ice in the yard
- “paint” the house with water
- play with measuring cups and a bucket of water
- make ice cream
- wash the car
- rest under a shade tree
- have a spray bottle battle
- play with the hose
- toss water balloons
Calm down activities
- stretch together
- close your eyes and imagine
- give each other backrubs
- sing a song
- pray or meditate
Go a little crazy
- start a whipped cream fight
- have a pillow fight
- pretend you’re a tickle monster
- play leap frog
- have cardboard sword fights
For toddlers
- practice somersaults
- play pattycake
- sing nursery rhymes
- organize the Tupperware drawer
- color in some good old coloring books
- play pretend
- play dress up
For young girls
- have a fashion show
- paint your nails
- make a fairy garden
- tell fairy tales
- make a construction paper costume
For young boys
- play legos
- play good guy/bad guy dress up
- have a staring contest
- build a recycled robot
- have a matchbox cars race
- build a blanket fort
- do a dinosaur dig (bury fake dinos in the yard)
For teens
- clean the yard together
- play board games
- put on a play
- go to the skate park
- rearrange the bedroom
- have a spa day
For groups and friends
- play capture the flag
- organize a scavenger hunt
- start a game of tug of war
- get some energy out with old-fashioned tag
- have a three legged race
- play hide-and-seek
Download this free printable list and hang it on your fridge to remind you to try these awesome ideas.
What are your favorite screen-free-fun activities? I’m always on the hunt for something fun and new, and I’d love to hear your ideas! Inspire me in the comments section.
How can I be ok with blue-light bathing their faces when they should be soaking up the warm rays of the sun? Tweet this.