Screen-free ways to keep kids entertained during school holidays

Some of the most recent studies tell us that 15-25% of Australian kids spend more time using screens than they should. This can be troubling for parents who want to give their kids the best experiences they can without using technology. So, many parents are seeking out screen free options to encourage their kids to try over the summer months. 

To help with this, below we list some of the best screenless activities that you can involve your kids with. They should help your child find new things to do and broaden their horizons at the same time.

Books

While many kids love to read, different kids will do so at different levels. Being able to lose oneself in a world of fiction will always appeal to a subsection of children, and it is often a quiet activity too. You can even make it a group activity by having "reading time" as you sit your kids down with a snack or a toy to fiddle with while you read to them.

Be a Book

Instead of passively reading a book, you can instead try to act the parts out instead. Take a story that your kids already know well, and play out the scenes one by one.

If they take the story in a different direction, that is ok. Encourage their imaginations and help them put themselves in other people's shoes.

Kid Science

There are many small science experiments that you can research online using materials you can find around the house. These will often need you to act as a chaperone, though, as they might use things like washing up liquid or water. After all, who doesn't love a bit of mess as they learn?

This might be cheating in a list of screen-free activities, as you might still need to check out an online site or two to research good experiments. Although your kids never need to do so.

Art

There are so many options for how to engage with tech-free activities like art. These might be messy, but options include:

• Painting
• Finger painting
• Sandcastle building
• Drawing
• Colouring-in books
• Clay creation

These let kids be kids by making a little bit of a mess, but you might end up with something that you will cherish for years to come.

Cleaning the House

Kids love to emulate their parents. Until they learn to hate cleaning from popular media, many children love joining in on this activity. While not always "kids' play", they will find a way to make the process their own.

So, break out the dustpan and brush, or plug in the vacuum cleaner, and get the little helper to have fun by working with you.

More on Screen Free Living

With the above list, you should be able to think of plenty more screen free things for your child to do. If you still want advice on school holiday activities, though, we have plenty of options available for you to pick up.

We have tons of healthy play alternatives for your kid to enjoy without a single screen. So, check out our shop now and see if you can find your child's next obsession.