Ideas for Family Fun Without Screens

Disconnecting from screens is something parents often want to encourage their kids to do. You don’t want them sitting in front of the TV or computer, or scrolling on phones or tablets, all the time. But limiting screen time can be challenging when it’s all they want to do. It’s even more difficult when you’re not really sure how else to keep them occupied or make sure they’re having fun. Taking screens away can lead to complaints of boredom, especially when they’re not used to having to find their own entertainment.

Fortunately, there are plenty of things that you can do with your children if you want to have family fun without any screens. Here are some of the ideas that you could use if you want to keep everyone entertained.

Outdoor Activities

Getting outside can be the perfect way to switch off all tech and have family fun without it. There are so many things you can do together when you get outside, whether you’re in your backyard, at the park, or in a more open outdoor area. You could play a game or sport together, or you could go for a walk or bike ride. You could have a scavenger hunt or explore nature, looking for plants and bugs or other wildlife. Gardening can be a fun activity to do as a family if you have the space to do it too.

Reading

Reading together is great for developing language skills and reading skills. It’s also a good way to bond and spend quality time together. There are many different types of books that you might find fun to read together. Picture books give your children something to look at even if they’re not at reading age yet, and simple books are great for new readers to start tackling. Reading to your children is obviously fun too, especially if you’re willing to commit to doing different voices and putting some energy into your performance. Reading isn’t just an activity to do at home, either.

Imaginative Toys

Many toys are excellent for stimulating the imagination and encouraging creative play. These can include anything from dolls to toy cars, miniature domestic items, dress-up outfits, and more. Try some Bruder toys if you want to have fun with different vehicles and figures of people in various jobs. Kids love to act out stories with dolls and action figures or with stuffed toys. Or they can also enjoy being the ones acting out different roles themselves, whether they’re pretending to be mommies and daddies or acting as doctors, truck drivers, or chefs.

Arts and Crafts

Another way to get creative with your kids is to do some arts and crafts. Keeping an arts and crafts box full of various supplies will mean they can always make something if they feel like it. You can have things for painting, drawing, coloring, making collages, or anything else that you might feel like doing. Various kits are also available if you want to try doing something new. Or you can look for arts and crafts ideas online to give you some inspiration for what you can do together. Holidays can be great times to make decorations and other things, but you don’t need an excuse.

Board Games

Family board games can be a lot of fun. There are options for all ages, so everyone can join in with playing a game. Something like chutes and ladders is easy enough for most children to play (except the very young). Older children can also join in with games like Monopoly or Scrabble. A regular board game night is a good option if you’re looking for a way to switch off tech. It’s also a good way for children to learn how to play competitive games, including how to be a gracious loser and how to be a good winner.

Science Experiments

Putting together some fun science experiments can give you something exciting and interesting to do. You don’t have to be an expert to find some fun experiments that you can do together. You can make things like slime or perhaps put together an experiment that you can observe over time, such as growing a plant. You can find plenty of examples of kid-friendly experiments that you can do as a family, which can encourage an interest in science. Even baking together can be a good experiment.

You don’t need screens to have family fun. There are many things you can do together even when you put away all your tech.