It can be hard to keep the kids away from screens, especially in summer when they have so much free time on their hands. Kids are constantly reaching for remotes and devices… and parents are constantly chiming, “No more!”
So here are some quick alternatives to screen time.
Set up a craft table. Just as you have a homework station during the school year, it can be really handy to have an area stocked with paper, markers, scissors, glue, stickers, old magazines, etc.
Get outdoors. Start up a pick-up game of soccer or Frisbee, go on a family bike ride, plan a picnic, set up the sprinkler, throw some building toys (even simple spoons and bowls) into the yard or garden and get digging – fresh air always trumps being indoors.
Go to the library. A quick trip to your local library can spark all kinds of interest in magazines, books, and more. Check out a kid’s cookbook and plan a family meal, or get a cool science experiment book for lots of exploration fun.
Put the kids in change of an activity. Forget dictating to them what they should do in lieu of playing with electronics and instead out them in the driver’s seat and ask them to choose a family activity. You might be surprised by what they come up with.
Create something from “trash.” Go through your recycling bin in search of items you can use to build a small playhouse, pirate ship or mechanic’s garage. Grab that bin of spare nuts and bolts from the garage and make your own robots. See which family member can get the most creative with their creations.
Do something for others. Maybe you could make it a family project to roll those spare coins that have accumulating in that plastic bank in the closet, which could be given to a charity. Or you could start a canned food drive around your neighborhood. Build a little “take a book, leave a book” library outside your home for neighbours. Figure out a family project that will benefit others, and work on it together.