Ideas for time away from screens

These ideas include time together and things a child might enjoy independently. Choose what fits your family's interests, space and abilities.

The Family time plan has space to plan time together and write down what you'd change next time.

Things to do indoors

  • Try a kitchen experiment

    Choose a simple experiment from a book, such as a baking soda and vinegar volcano.

  • Rearrange a room

    Choose a small area to organize or decorate differently.

  • Play flashlight tag

    Use flashlights to tag one another in a dim room.

  • Explore with your senses

    Gather objects with different textures, sounds and smells to compare.

  • Make paper airplanes

    Try different folds and compare how the planes fly.

  • Set up a treasure hunt

    Hide objects around the house and write clues for finding them.

  • Play a word guessing game

    Find unusual words in a dictionary and take turns guessing their meanings.

  • Play balloon volleyball

    Use a balloon and a string net for an indoor game.

  • Fold origami

    Use a book of instructions to fold paper animals or shapes.

  • Make a bowling game

    Set up empty plastic bottles as pins and roll a soft ball toward them.

  • Have an indoor picnic

    Spread a blanket on the floor and share a meal.

  • Tell a story with shadow puppets

    Use a sheet and flashlight to make characters and act out a story.

  • Build with a box of materials

    Gather spare craft materials and see what you can make from them.

Time together

  • Play a board game

    Choose a game everyone taking part can enjoy.

  • Build a fort or camp indoors

    Use blankets or a tent, bring books, and tell stories by flashlight.

  • Build with cardboard

    Turn boxes into a house, vehicle or imaginary place.

  • Cook together

    Choose a recipe and divide up the preparation.

  • Make an obstacle course

    Arrange pillows and other household items for a course through the room.

  • Make a puzzle hunt

    Hide puzzles and clues that lead to the next part of the game.

  • Put on a talent show

    Share a song, a magic trick or another skill.

  • Show each other your artwork

    Make drawings or paintings and arrange a small exhibition at home.

  • Read and talk about a book

    Read together or separately, then discuss the parts that interested you.

  • Help with a local project

    Choose a cause you care about and find a way to help, such as a neighborhood cleanup.

Outside

  • Make up outdoor games

    Try a sack race, a throwing game or an obstacle course.

  • Look for things in nature

    Make a list of leaves, rocks or signs of animals to look for on a walk.

  • Watch birds

    Use an identification book and keep a list or draw the birds you see.

  • Draw with sidewalk chalk

    Draw pictures or make a game on a driveway or sidewalk.

  • Look at the stars

    Use a printed star chart to look for constellations on a clear night.

  • Go for a bike ride

    Choose a route and somewhere you would like to stop.

  • Try letterboxing

    Follow printed clues to find a hidden box and collect an impression of its rubber stamp in a notebook.

  • Camp in the yard

    Pitch a tent and spend time outside telling stories or looking at the sky.

Projects to return to

  • Make a time capsule

    Collect letters, pictures and meaningful objects to open together in the future.

  • Grow something

    Plant a flower or vegetable garden and care for it as it grows.

  • Build a model

    Choose a model kit you can work on over several sessions.

  • Make a family recipe book

    Collect favorite recipes with photos and the stories behind them.

  • Work on a home project

    Choose a repair or improvement you can help with, such as repainting a room.

  • Learn about your family history

    Look through old photos and ask relatives about their lives.

  • Write and illustrate a book

    Make up a story, draw the pictures and bind the pages together.

Interests to explore

  • Make a collage

    Use magazine pictures and drawings to show interests or things you would like to do.

  • Make room decorations

    Try a photo display, string art or painted furniture.

  • Keep a journal

    Write, draw or make lists in a notebook.

  • Alter old clothes

    Try sewing, adding patches or turning an old item into something else.

  • Find a place to read

    Try a local café as a place to read or study.

  • Write a letter

    Send a handwritten letter to a friend or relative.

  • Learn an instrument

    Use a library book or take a local lesson.

  • Start a collection

    Choose something you enjoy finding, such as rocks, coins or stamps.

When you have a few minutes

  • Doodle

    Choose a word or theme and see what you draw.

  • Stretch

    Take a break to move and stretch.

  • Solve a puzzle

    Try a riddle or puzzle from a book.

  • Look out the window

    Notice what you can see outside, including what has changed.

  • Play a memory game

    Look at a tray of objects, cover it, then see which ones you remember.

  • Tell jokes

    Take turns telling jokes or reading them from a joke book.

  • Dance to a song

    Put on a favorite song and dance.

  • Sit quietly

    Sit still for a few moments and pay attention to your breathing.

  • Write a few lines

    Choose a subject and write whatever comes to mind.