Screen-Free Activities to Do with Your Family

Put down your phones, turn off Netflix, put away the kid’s tablets, and spend some quality time together as a family, without screens.

Playing video games with your kids is a great way to bond but it’s nice to take a screen break. With so many educational and creative activities available for kids on screens, it can be hard to convince them to take a screen break. But spending time together without screens will bring your family closer together.

Screen-Free Activities

1. Read a Book – Take a trip to your local library or bookstore and grab some new books. Read together as a family, and let older kids read to younger kids. Read silly books that make everyone laugh. Read books about kids’ favorite topics like dinosaurs. Read books about people that inspire you.
2. Play Board Games – You probably already know that your kids love video games, but what about board games? Get a new board game and learn to play as a family. Younger kids will love cooperative board games like Space Espace or Mermaid Island.
3. Go for a Hike – Get outside and explore nature. Go for a walk or hike on a local trail. Find kid-friendly hikes on All Trails. Help keep younger kids engaged on your hike with a nature scavenger hunt.
4. Share kindness with random acts of kindness – Head out on a family adventure to spread encouragement and love with random acts of kindness. Simple things like putting away carts for people at the store. Opening the door for strangers. Take cookies to your local fire station. Include random acts of kindness cards to help spread the joy.
5. Bake a Delicious Treat – Get kids in the kitchen to help back a delicious treat. A kid-friendly cookbook will inspire young chefs. Let each person pick a treat to make and have a bake-off.
6. Make Popsicles – A simple sweet treat to make, popsicles are fun and yummy. You can make traditional popsicles, push-up pops, or use whimsical popsicle molds for more fun.
7. Get Creative with Art – You could just get out some paper and crayons to draw or you would get creative with your art. Try spin art, marble painting, or 3-D sand painting. Learn to draw animals or other cute stuff.
8. Do a Science Experiment – Create a volcano, launch a rocket, or do magic with magnets. Science is always exciting and fun to do with kids. Gather materials from your home and do easy 10-minute experiments.
9. Go Backyard Camping – Go camping, in your backyard. Set up a tent, and grab your sleeping bag and lantern for a backyard campout. While you are camping tell ghost stories or learn about wilderness survival.
10. Plant a Garden – Plant a vegetable garden in your backyard or in pots on your porch. Before you plant your garden read a book about how gardens grow and why we need them.
11. Have a Yard Sale – Get everyone to clean out their closet and toy box. Set aside gently used items you want to sell. Plan your yard sale and advertise with signs around your neighborhood. Teach kids how to price items, count money and negotiate with customers.
12. Set up a Lemonade Stand – If your neighborhood is conducive to setting up a lemonade stand it’s a great way to meet your neighbors. Set up a table and chairs, grab some disposable cups, and of course lemonade. You can make fresh squeezed lemonade or buy a mix, nobody will have to know! You can even get a cute lemonade banner to decorate your table.
13. Create an Obstacle Course – Test your agility with an obstacle course. Use an obstacle course kit or make your own. Show everyone you can be the next Ninja Warrior.
14. Draw with Sidewalk Chalk – On a beautiful sunny day, get outside and draw with sidewalk chalk. You could even decorate your driveway with sidewalk paint. Write an encouraging message to your neighbors walking by, make a silly creature, or color a beautiful rainbow.
15. Complete a Puzzle – Get a new puzzle to build together as a family. This Savannah/Jungle puzzle is one of our favorites.
16. Volunteer – Find a local non-profit where your family can volunteer. Talk with your family to find a cause you all support.
17. Make a Collection Book – Collect stickers or stamps together. See how can find the most unique and make a book. Stamp Collection, Coin Collection, Sticker Collection, and more.
18. Build LEGO together – Buy a new LEGO set and build it together or have a LEGO building competition.
19. Make Slime – Get your hands a little dirty and make slime. Make glow slime, galaxy slime, or sandy slim.
20. Build a Fort – Grab your sheets and move around the furniture and build a fort. You could also get one of these cool fort kits.
21. Create a Comic Book – Create a comic book together. Let one person be the author and one person be the illustrator, of everyone works it together.
22. Play a Card Game -You can play a lot of different games with one deck of cards. Use this guide to help you learn new popular card games.
23. Write and Act out a Play – Are you a family of thespians? Divide the family in half and let each side write and act out a play for the other. Don’t forget the costumes and props.
24. Make Crayons – Of course, you can buy crayons but why not make them? Collect all your old broken crayons, remove the paper, and melt them into molds to create new, fun crayons.
25. Have a Dance Party – Ask Alexa to play your favorite songs and dance around the house. Why not get a disco ball light to liven up the party?
26. Learn Origami – Learn to make origami birds and boxes and more with an Origami kit or Guide Book.
27. Have a Karaoke Competition – Show off your singing skills with a Karaoke competition.
28. Have a Scavenger Hunt – Have one family member set up a scavenger hunt around the house or try doing a selfie scavenger hunt around town.
29. Write a letter and Mail it – Get out your stationary and write an old-fashioned letter. Mail a letter to grandma and grandpa. Everyone loves to receive snail mail.
30. Learn to Sew – Everyone can learn to sew together. Get a simple sewing kit and learn to mend clothes and fix a button. Learn to use a sewing machine. Also, learn to knit, crochet or embroider.
31. Have a Makeover Party – Break out the makeup, hair styling supplies, and fancy clothes for a full-on makeover party.
32. Play Charades – Act out clues for your friends to guess the answer correctly. Make up your own clues or use premade charades cards.
33. Solve a Rubik’s Cube – Learn how to solve a Rubiks Cube. Take the time to learn how to solve it. Rubik’s Cube has easy-to-follow tutorials on its website.
34. Jump Rope – Single jump or double dutch, jumping rope is making a comeback.
35. Play with Water – Set up a sprinkler or slip-n-slide and have a little fun in the sun.
36. Sculpt with Clay – Sculpt, carve, and paint your own pottery project.
37. Learn Magic – Practice sleight of hand with some simple to-learn magic tricks. Impress all your family and friends.
38. Have a Tea Party – Set up your tea set and have a fancy tea party complete with cookies and tea.
39. Solve a Word Search or Crossword Puzzle – Keep your brain active by solving a word search or cross word puzzle.
40. Paint with Watercolors – Get some watercolor paper and watercolor paints and create a masterpiece.