20 Things Your Kids Can Do Instead of Screen Time

You’ve taken away screens, now what? I bet they’re bored! Here are some fun things your kids can do instead of screen time.

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Yesterday I did a post on reducing screen time for your kids. You can read about it here.  I included simple rules that you can incorporate so your kids are off the screen, which include tablets, video games, computers and TVs.

However, what are your kids going to do when they aren’t watching or playing video games.  Here’s a great list of 20 thing your kids can do instead of screen time.

So now, your kids are complaining they’re bored and they don’t have anything to do. This is what happens in my house.  Once they make the transition from screen to no screen (sometimes this takes awhile), they start getting creative.

Things Your Kids Can Do Instead of Screen Time

•  Cooking
• Reading (a real book)
• Playing board games– We just got Trivial Pursuit Family and it’s so fun!
• Going for a walk or bike ride
• Cleaning
• Drawing
• Building a Fort
• Planning the dinner menu
• Watering the garden
• magic tricks
• card games
• practice an instrument
• make a movie

Even more things!

• Walking the dog
• Searching for change in the house and they get to keep what they find!
• Checking the mail
• Writing in a journal
• Playing outside
• Inviting a friend over
• Painting with water colors
• Play-doh and Play-doh Tub of accessories
• Get out an old toy
• Puzzles (This is a fun 3D Minion one that we have.)
• Get out of the house.  When my kids are really going nuts, I take them to the local skate park to get their energy out.
• Talk! 🙂  Sometime we forget to REALLY talk to each other.

I know I gave you a little more than twenty.  Sometimes kids need a little push to get going so don’t get frustrated if they say no to EVERYTHING.  Get something out and get them started.  They will usually start participating and STOP complaining.