Sparkle Schoolhouse

77 Things to Do Instead of Screens

“There’s nothing to do besides screens!” My son has actually said this to me, more than once. When screen time becomes habitual, it can be easy to forget how many options there actually are for screen-free fun! Encourage kids to explore those ideas and activities! Not only will it reduce screen time, but also help to foster creativity, resourcefulness, and even forge new neural pathways.

Benefits of Reduced Screen Time for Kids

While there is no need to fall into the trap of guilt and shame over allowing a little screen time, there are some pretty compelling benefits of creating opportunities for screen-free fun. When kids are away from screens, that means they are free to explore other things — nature, social connections, and making things with their hands, to name just a few. This is why I keep a list of fun and satisfying things we can do in a day, reminding us all of the world of possibilities beyond screens. I polled the Sparkle Team for their list, added it to mine, and am sharing it below (along with some of our Sparkle tutorials to get you started). This list is only the beginning!

Screen Free Ideas for the Kitchen

• Plan and make dinner as a family. Try something from our favorite outdoor recipes roundup or our favorite comfort foods.
• Bake something yummy together.
• Make homemade dog or cat treats. Try these peanut butter yogurt drops for dogs, or some tuna fish cookies for kitties.
• Make a baking soda and vinegar volcano.
• Make hand dipped candles.
• Knead bread dough.
• Make play dough.
• Have a DIY science experiment day with simple experiments using household items.
• Host a DIY pizza night where everyone can create their own pizza masterpieces.
• Let the kids take over the kitchen.

Screen Free Outdoor Adventures

• Play badminton. (Sewell McCann sport of choice.)
• Initiate a pick-up kickball game in a park near you.
• Lie in the grass for two minutes.
• Throw a frisbee.
• Go for a bike ride. Even better, bike and get a special treat or go to a place you've never been. Organize a bike rally with friends!
• Work in the garden.
• Make potions with things you find in the garden. Sylvia’s Magic Belly Tea is a great place to start!
• Walk the dog.
• Jump on the trampoline.
• Climb a tree in your backyard. For even more fun, download this free printable that helps kids identify a tree by studying its branches.
• Dig as deep of a hole in the ground as you can.
• Watch the clouds go by and learn about different cloud formations.
• Learn to do a handstand.
• Plant a pollinator garden.
• Take an outing to a zoo or a museum or another public venue.
• Set up a tent in your backyard and do a little backyard camping.

• Go for a walk with the intention to meet neighbors.
• Set up a bird feeder, and practice bird-watching.
• Create a DIY birdhouse.
• Do a neighborhood scavenger hunt or a backyard scavenger hunt.
• Draw a map of your block or neighborhood or the route to school.
• Go on a bug walk and see how many different types of insects you can find. Draw them in a nature journal!
• Go on a nature hike and collect items for a nature collage or store them in a shadow box or nature bracelet.
• Paint rocks and hide them in your neighborhood for others to find.
• Have a picnic in your backyard or local park.

Quiet Amusements

• Read, as a family or solo.
• Make a nest of pillows and blankets and nap. For adults too!
• Color in a coloring book or color and cut out Paper Dolls.
• Draw.
• Write a card or letter to a friend.
• Learn the lyrics to a favorite song.
• Make a picture collage from old magazines.
• Build a pillow fort.
• Practice saying the alphabet backwards.
• Learn to shuffle cards, then try a new card game.
• Try to solve a Rubik's Cube.
• Teach your dog a trick.
• Create a time capsule and bury it in your backyard.

Creative Projects for Screen Free Fun

• Make a felt storytelling board.
• Give sculpting a try. We have a fun tutorial using polymer clay here.
• Get out the fabric scraps and start sewing a new creation.
• Make sock puppets.
• Finger knit. If you’ve never tried this before, we’ve got a free finger knitting printable to help you along!

• Make a friendship bracelet.
• Make a natural materials mandala.
• Decorate the driveway with chalk art.
• DIY transform something (phone case, t-shirt, squishy, etc.)
• Do a washi tape project.
• Build fairy houses!.
• Learn to fold paper airplanes.
• Dip leaves in wax and make wreaths, garlands, or mobiles.
• Build something from boxes.

• Make something out of wood.
• Build a bee hotel, a bat house, or a snake or frog habitat.
• Play an instrument (or even just noodle around on one).

Ideas for Screen Free Fun with Friends and Family

• Have a tea party.
• Have a dance party.
• Host a themed dress-up day or costume party.
• Ask what you can do to help someone else. Volunteer together at a local charity or community organization. Here's a playlist of five really fun helper stories.
• Learn to jump rope or hula hoop.
• Start a family fitness challenge with fun activities like yoga, jumping jacks, and stretches.

• Learn a poem and recite it to your family.
• Teach your kids simple magic tricks and put on a magic show.
• Learn something new together.
• Play a board game with family or friends.
• Have a family game night with classic card games like Go Fish or Crazy Eights.
• Create a family scrapbook, photo album, or travel journal.
• Plan a screen-free party with some of these ideas!

Make your own list of fun things to do without screens!

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