Do you have kids or teens who are bored? Suggest these screen time alternatives for fun things to do instead of screens. Check your Save mailer for savings.
Kids spend a lot of time on screens, especially as we all spent a lot of time indoors over the past couple of years. According to the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, children ages 8 through 12 in the U.S. spend an average of 4 to 6 hours a day using or watching screens. For teens, the number climbs to 9 hours!
If you want to help your kids embrace non-virtual reality, here are some ideas to get the creative juices flowing.
Arts and crafts provide endless projects and things to do instead of screens. For teens, let them take apart old appliances and electronics. Or bust out some markers or colored pencils with an adult coloring book. For young kids, all you need is some construction paper, scissors, and glue to create mosaics or cool pieces of art. See what you have on hand (old magazines are perfect) and get creative!
Science can be a blast, especially when it’s messy or silly! Make your own volcano, build some bubble wands, or create a drinking straw rollercoaster. You probably already have lots of science, technology, engineering, math (STEM) materials on-hand to build some things, experiment, and teach your kid in the process.
Grab a book, and alternate reading chapters out loud together. Play around with different character voices. If you’re in a dramatic or spooky mood, turn off the lights and read by book light or flashlight.
Gathering around games is the perfect way to keep kids engaged for hours. Let everyone choose their favorite board game to play. Or, create your own DIY games, like paper telephone, where players alternate between writing down and drawing phrases the previous person passes them. If you want to get the wiggles out, add a physical element, like a round of hot potato.
Involve your kids in dinner by letting them play chef or restauranteur. Let them choose the menu and décor. Go shopping for healthy ingredients together. Supervise them as they chop up and mix ingredients. Your kids can even design their own menu and play host or server!
Volunteering takes a little bit more planning, but it’s a great way to bond with your family. Ask your kids what causes they’re interested in supporting, like animal care or feeding the needy. Plan volunteer outings together. Or, next time your kid says, “I’m bored,” encourage them to think about what they could do to help others. Maybe they could set up a lemonade stand and donate the proceeds, or go shopping with you to create toiletry bags for a homeless shelter.
Put on your favorite tunes, and dance around the living room. Or go outside and take a walk in nature. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends kids ages 6 through 17 years old get at least 1 hour of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity a day and at least three days of muscle-building exercise each week. Head to a park to climb the jungle gym or swing on the swing set together.
No-screen-time activities can boost creativity and be super-enjoyable. Use these ideas for screen-time alternatives to bond with your family and encourage diverse activities for your kids and teens.
Want to save on items that you might use in screen time alternatives like these? Check your weekly Save.com mailer for coupons and savings.
