Screen-free Family Activities

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Keeping the family entertained can be tricky at the best of times, and it gets harder if you have an age gap between your children. In the current situation, with many of us spending an increased amount of time at home, it is easy not to notice how much screen time has increased.

Inspiring kids to become screen-free is easier said than done, but with the right activity, you can have hours of fun which are good for both mental and physical health.

Treasure Hunt

A treasure hunt can be engaging for a wide variety of ages because it can be adapted to suit each child. For the smaller ones, you can hide objects around the room, garden or house and ask them to search for them. Including a little treat such as a sweet or chocolate, might help to get them interested. If they are of reading age, you could try and make things more challenging by adding a competitive edge or writing riddles to give them clues.

Build a Fort

Let’s face it; there’s a big kid in all of us that loves building a fort! Whether it’s with cardboard boxes, furniture or blankets, constructing a fort is fun for everyone. Once it’s made, encourage children to use it for other activities such as reading or drawing.

Learn About Wildlife

Either out in the garden or on a walk in the park, take the opportunity to explore the local wildlife. Learn the names of the flowers and small creatures you come across. Small pots are available cheaply online that have a magnified lid so you can study the different bugs you find before you release them back into the wild. You could also learn about the holistic benefits of nature, camomile, mint and hemp oil are among some of the plants that have interesting natural benefits. 

Get Creative

Creative play can be fun and educational, and it’s a fantastic way for children to improve their communication skills and express themselves. You could set creative challenges for the family, such as a portrait task. Each pick a name of a family member out of a hat and draw each other. If your kids are smaller and you have a garden, embrace some messiness and paint in the garden!

Build a Sticky Wall

Stick some Sellotape across a doorway to create a sticky wall then throw scrunched up newspaper or softballs for a bit fun. Make it more challenging by drawing a target.

Make a Comedy Sketch

It doesn’t matter how old you are, the silliness of creating a comedy sketch will have the whole family in stitches. You can take inspiration from your favourite comedians or use props to create a show. Bigger families can team up and if there are just a few of you, encourage each other to take it in turns in a one-person stand-up routine.

Learn Origami

An origami book won’t set you back much, and once you start, it is surprisingly addictive! Learn how to fold and create colourful animals and shapes. You could make a paper boat and have a race in the bath or an aeroplane and have a competition.

Make a Family Photo Scrapbook

Creating a scrapbook of photographs is a brilliant way to bring the family together and remember the good times. You could add decorations such as stickers, colourful shapes or use leaves and flowers from the garden. Try writing a little story to go with the photos; you could include where and when it was taken and the names of the people in the pictures.

Taking a break from screens is beneficial for people of all ages; hopefully, some of the ideas here have inspired you to keep busy!

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