40 Ways to Get Your Kids to Put Their Screens Down
There are times when our routines become a little out of whack and the kid’s normal allocation of screentime inadvertently increases. No need to feel guilty or like you have to face a battle to bring the device use back to a more reasonable level.
I’ve put together 40 ways to get your kids to put their screens down! They’ll probably be too busy having fun to even notice that they are spending less time playing Minecraft and watching music videos!
Run through the sprinkler
Do some gardening and/or watering
Go on a bike or scooter ride
Visit the beach
Go to the pool
Have a picnic in the backyard – younger children can invite their teddies
Read some books – alone and out loud
Write a story and make your own book
Take turns to tell stories
Got a Trampoline?
Jump on it
Attach the hose to it
Write on it with chalk
Put a blanket or tarp on it and create a cubby house
Do a puppet show
Make a cubby house
Have a pillow fight
Make an obstacle course
Go for a walk – take the dog
Put on a fashion show
Do some crafting with items from around the house
Go on a nature hunt
Meditate and exercise
Do arm or thumb wrestles
Play cards
Cook together
Do a puzzle
Colour in or draw
Make a family tree
Play some ball games – tunnel ball, soccer, catch – got a basketball hoop?
Play I spy
Play Tag
Go to the local park
Ride bikes & scooters
Play hide and seek
Go Fishing
Do word searches or crossword puzzles
Help with some jobs around the house
Play Bingo
Make Masks
Play with Balloons
Wash the car
Draw on the driveway or footpath with chalk
Grab your calendar now and fill the kid’s free time with some of these activities! I even have a printout of these that I keep on the wall so that the kids can choose an activity to do when they are ‘bored’ instead of picking up a device.