Fun, Screen-Free Activities for Kids

In today's society, screens are ubiquitous. And as adults, we are probably the biggest culprits of excessive screen time. But our kids are not far behind us. Many kids seem downright addicted to TV, video games, and even smart phones. So, here are some fun activity ideas that don't involve screens.

Nature

Our grandparents love to talk about how, in the summers, they would leave their houses in the morning, explore all day, and not come home until dinnertime. While that's encouraged given the safety concerns today, it does highlight a marked difference in today's kids. They just don't get enough time outside. So, try to make outdoor play and exploration part of every day for your kids. Unstructured exploration is one of the most important activities for growing a child's mind, curiosity, and creativity.

Cooking

Kids LOVE playing in the kitchen! They love to help make meals. Letting them help can encourage independence and can teach important life skills—and they might be a useful helper to boot. You will want to build in extra time since some of their "help" may actually backfire and you'll need to redo, undo, or clean up. But this is a great activity for building life skills and for spending quality time with your child.

Art

Stocking up on a few arts and crafts supplies can pay huge returns for your kids. Art helps children relieve tension and lets them exercise creative muscles. You can research a few particular crafts, or you can simply bring home a hodge-podge of supplies and let your kids figure out what to do with them. At least once or twice a month, let the kids get our paints or papier-mache or other really messy crafts. It may a few extra minutes to clean, but they will love doing something special (and they'll likely be so engrossed in it that you'll have a few extra minutes to enjoy your coffee or get your own work done).

Animals

If you live near a farm or a zoo, plan a visit with your kids. There is nothing quite like the expression on a child's face when they see a real live animal that they've only read about it books. You could easily spend a whole day visiting the animals, and the time will just fly by. Studies show that kids who are around animal bacteria are actually healthier because they've built up antibodies. So, it's not only good for their minds, it's good for their health.

Library

When was the last time you visited your local library? They are a largely underused resource in most communities. Many local libraries offer lots of children's programming (i.e. puppet shows, author visits, character-themed nights) in addition to the vast selection of books. You'd be surprised how much time your kids will want to spend just browsing the shelves.

Family Time

There is no greater gift you can give your kids than the gift of your time. Spending time together--whether it's getting ice cream, playing board games, or just talking about your day--is so important for kids' development of self-esteem, sense of safety, and independence. So, try to give them some undivided attention every day.