Got screen free activities?
So you want to encourage your kids to spend less time on screen, and more time engaging offline, but you’re at a loss for what will actually keep them occupied for more than sixty seconds.
We’ve got you covered!
Check out the list below for 33 of our favorite screen-free activities and games for ideas that will work best for your family.
They’re divided into four categories for your convenience: 1) for the body, 2) for the brain, 3) for the imagination, and 5) for the senses.
For the Body
- 1Mission Impossible Maze: Using either Crepe Paper or Flag Tape, create an intricate maze in a hallway for your kids to navigate their bodies through.
- 2Obstacle Course: Create an engaging course that includes a variety of motions (jumping, crawling, balancing, etc.) and uses a large area.
- 3Balloon Ping Pong: All you do is staple (or hot glue) some large popsicle sticks to paper plates for the paddles. And then let them play ping pong with the balloon!
- 4Spiky Sponge Water Bombs: Create these homemade spiky sponges for a twist on water balloons (that won't cause bruising).
- 5Flashlight Games: Who knew there were so many games you could play with just a flashlight? Flashlight Follow, Flashlight Freeze, and Flashlight Hide-and-Seek.
- 6Shape Hopscotch: Kids will have no idea they’re working on important skills like color and shape recognition with this movement game.
- 7Simon Says: A classic for a reason and one of the easiest screen free activities to pull off!
- 8Dance Party Freeze Dance: Turn up the music and dance!
For the Brain
- 1Alphabet Bingo: A fun game that helps reinforce letter recognition. Screen free activities are much better for child development.
- 2Cardboard Marble Maze: What a great indoor kid activity idea!
- 3Marshmallow Toothpick Building Challenge: This is a great one because it doesn’t require much help from mom or dad and it gets kids’ brains working!
- 4Treasure Hunt: Who doesn't love a good ol' quest for treasure?
- 5The Fun Facts Game: Ask each person to write an unusual ‘fun fact’ about themselves on a small piece of paper, fold it up and place it into a bag. A leader then picks a fact out of the bag and reads it out loud to the players. Players take turns guessing who the ‘fun fact’ belongs to. The player with the most amusing or funny facts wins!
- 6The Celebrities Game: Players write the names of five celebrities on slips of paper, fold them up and place them into a bag. A person is selected to pick celebrity names out of the bag and give clues. Each player then has one minute to guess as many celebrity names as possible before time runs out!
- 7Two Truths and a Lie: A classic and another great road trip game for all ages!
- 8MASH: Throw back time!
For the Imagination
- 1Fingerprint Art: This is a favorite rainy day activity!
- 2Clothespin Paper Puppets: Kids will have fun coloring them, adding hair, and playing with the completed puppets.
- 3Finger Knitting: Friendship bracelets and rainbow loom bracelets have been popular for years – but for a simpler version try finger knitting!
- 4Origami: A fun and creative way to keep little hands busy.
- 5DIY Story Stones: Take rock painting to a whole new level with one of the most popular screen free activities!
- 6DIY Flip Book: Put that stockpile of markers to good use by sketching out a few silly features. Clip the cards together, and create countless combinations!
- 7DIY Blanket Fort: Get out some blankets and cushions and create an epic blanket fort in your living room!
- 8Lego Challenge Cards: Give new life to legos with some homemade challenge cards!
- 9Star Gazing: The sky shows its magic at night with stars glittering everywhere. You can do the same with clouds during the day!
- 10Back and Forth Drawing Game: One person starts the drawing with something simple. Then take turns adding elements to the drawing. Continue until you have a masterpiece!
For the Senses
- 1Sand Play with Nature Materials: This activity is great for calm, stress relieving quiet time and is so easy to set up!
- 2Illustrated Cookie Recipe: Baking is almost always a winner!
- 3DIY Fireworks in a Glass: This will blow your kids minds! Screen free activities can still be super engaging and entertaining.
- 4DIY Mini Volcanoes: This explosive science experiment is sure to be a hit!
- 5Play Dough Fossils Identification Game: Challenge your little ones critical thinking and observation!
- 6Sensory I Spy Jar: Before going to a restaurant, fill a plastic water bottle with rice and small objects like beads, letters, small toy animals. Then see what you can spy!
- 7Exploding Toy Car Wash: This is a twist on the beloved bubble bath car wash.
After you try out some of these screen free activities ideas, let us know which ones are your favorites!
Is there an activity or game that you think we should add? Let us know!