101 Ideas for Screen-Free Fun

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

1. pick wildflowers
2. take a walk
3. draw with sidewalk chalk
4. go cloud watching
5. have a picnic

Rainy days

6. read a book
7. go puddle jumping
8. have a tea and toast party
9. watch raindrops race down the window
10. set out an indoor picnic
11. lie in bed and listen to the rain on the roof

Night time

12. make flashlight shadows
13. have a campfire
14. make s’mores on the grill
15. play glow stick tag
16. count the stars
17. catch fireflies
18. take out the sparklers

Get in touch with nature:

19. relax and do some bird watching
20. classify trees
21. search for bugs
22. try leaf rubbings
23. watch the bees
24. roll down a hill
25. play in the dirt
26. catch frogs

Get to know yourself

27. start a journal
28. imagine yourself in 5 years
29. write a short autobiography
30. draw a self portrait
31. do some mindfulness exercises

Be creative

32. write a song
33. make paper flowers
34. bake cookies
35. write a poem
36. design your dream home
37. paint old boards with washable paint

Day trips and dates:

38. visit a local aquarium or zoo
39. go out for ice cream
40. have a beach day
41. take a coffee shop trip
42. play at an indoor playground
43. play at an outdoor playground
44. visit a farm or pet store
45. visit a historic building or shrine

Get moving

46. race around the yard
47. try some new rump rope tricks
48. take a bike ride
49. have a dance party in the living room
50. set up a relay race
51. make a backyard obstacle course

Cool down time

52. play with a bucket of ice in the yard
53. “paint” the house with water
54. play with measuring cups and a bucket of water
55. make ice cream
56. wash the car
57. rest under a shade tree
58. have a spray bottle battle
59. play with the hose
60. toss water balloons

Calm down activities

61. stretch together
62. close your eyes and imagine
63. give each other backrubs
64. sing a song
65. pray or meditate

Go a little crazy

66. start a whipped cream fight
67. have a pillow fight
68. pretend you’re a tickle monster
69. play leap frog
70. have cardboard sword fights

For toddlers

71. practice somersaults
72. play pattycake
73. sing nursery rhymes
74. organize the Tupperware drawer
75. color in some good old coloring books
76. play pretend
77. play dress up

For young girls

78. have a fashion show
79. paint your nails
80. make a fairy garden
81. tell fairy tales
82. make a construction paper costume

For young boys

83. play legos
84. play good guy/bad guy dress up
85. have a staring contest
86. build a recycled robot
87. have a matchbox cars race
88. build a blanket fort
89. do a dinosaur dig (bury fake dinos in the yard)

For teens

90. clean the yard together
91. play board games
92. put on a play
93. go to the skate park
94. rearrange the bedroom
95. have a spa day

For groups and friends

96. play capture the flag
97. organize a scavenger hunt
98. start a game of tug of war
99. get some energy out with old-fashioned tag
100. have a three legged race
101. 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.