20 Screen Free Activities for Kids!

If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a million times, “I’m so thankful I had a childhood before technology took over.”. Some of my best childhood memories are climbing the giant pine tree in the back yard, building forts in the living room, and playing board games with my sisters. We had very limited screen time, but giant imaginations. If you’re like me, that’s the kind of childhood you want for your little ones, too. Unfortunately, with technology surrounding us, it’s very easy to let our kids grab a cell phone and appease their boredom on YouTube. If you’re ready to lessen your child’s screen time, I have created a list of screen free activities for kids.

I won’t get into all the negative effects that too much screen time can have on your child, but I will add a few links to articles you can read if you want to.

Obviously screens and technology are here to stay and learning how to balance their use and screen free time is key. (It’s imperative that we model good screen use to our children just like we do habits and anything else we want our children to learn!) It’s my hope that this list will help when your kids start grabbing for the phone, tablet, or gaming console.

Screen Free Activities for Kids

Free play outside
Legos/building blocks
Modeling clay/ playdough
Read a book, or look through pictures
Do a puzzle
Gather rocks outside, and paint faces on them
Make a kite and fly it
Make paper airplanes and have a flying competition
Learn a new skill or hobby (Knitting, crocheting, helping in the kitchen, etc.)
Write a story
Play a board game
Learn how to use a hammer by pounding nails in a board
Make sock puppets
Play with or care for a pet
Build a fort with blankets
Clean their bedroom
Clean the family car
Go for a walk and observe nature.
Turn on some music and dance out the wiggles!
Scavenger hunt (indoors or out)

This list of 20 activities is really just the tip of the iceberg. There are so many creative ways your kids can play and beat boredom. I was thinking as I was jotting these down that anytime I’ve seen a child engaged in creative play, they’ve never looked like the zombies they do in front of a screen. Just a totally random side note straight from my brain 😉

“We’re raising a generation of children who are uncomfortable with building relationships directly and prefer to have a screen between them and the world.” – Cat Jennings, Executive Director of Asheville Academy

If you’re looking for ways to cut down your own screen time, I’ve come up with a list of alternatives for you, too. 15 Simple Things To Do Besides Watching TV (I know the title says watching TV, but they work for any screen!)

I can tell you from firsthand experience if your child is used to having a little too much screen time, taking the screen away will be difficult at first. I can also tell you from firsthand experience that once the screen is put away for a day or two your child will be so much more creative and imaginative. If your child is older, they may even thank you and admit that they feel much happier without the constant screen.

I know that parenting is tricky. Everyone has a different opinion on what’s right and what’s best. From one mama to another, go with your gut. Trust your natural mothering instincts. God gave them (the instincts and the children) to you for a reason. He knew you were the best woman for the job.