Many parents are looking for new ideas for screen-free activities this summer. As soon as the school year ends, you’ll start hearing the magic sentences “Can I use your phone/tablet?” or “Five more minutes, please.”
This is a sad fact: children in America are spending 5 to 8 hours a day staring at a screen. Too much exposure to a screen can cause a higher risk of obesity, sleeping problems. attention deficit disorder, and even learning disabilities.
Our children deserve better. So instead of allowing your child to spend hour after hour playing on a device, consider trying some of these screen-free summer activities that will have them outdoors, getting down and dirty, and exploring new places, rather than playing a game on a phone.
Be A Little Chef
Young kids can help in the kitchen. Children as young as 9 can prepare a simple meal on their own so you can give them a recipe they can try.
You can also give younger ones simpler tasks like washing vegetables, sorting ingredients, or garnishing finished food.
Gardening is beneficial for kids. It engages all their senses and encourages healthy eating. Plus, gardening teaches responsibilities and can be a good family bonding activity.
Encourage your child to plant their own carrots, herbs, tomatoes and other summer vegetables. You can buy them their own tools and create a list of “gardening tasks” they can accomplish.
Decorate Old Furniture
Let your child explore their creativity by allowing them to paint a piece of old or inexpensive furniture.
Allow your child to paint the wooden chair they do their homework in or their bedside table. They can decorate and personalize their own dresser, toy box, or closet, too.
It’s never too early to start camping. Exploring nature gives kids a full-on sensory experience. It’s also a great way for younger kids to begin their love of nature.
Kids of all ages have something to do when camping: They can cook their own food, watch the stars at night, help set-up the tent, or look for treasures around the campsite.
Earn Extra Cash
Let your children earn their own money by having a summer job. It can be as simple as doing household chores and getting money from completing tasks or doing tasks for your neighbors like washing the car, babysitting, mowing the lawn or walking the dog.
They can set up their own lemonade or snack stand or allow them to search through their closet and your storage area for things the family no longer needs and they can have their own garage sale.
Other Screen Free Summer Activities
Other than these activities, there are a lot of other things you can offer – be sure to find time to enjoy these activities together, too:
- Read a new book.
- Play a board game.
- Start a science journal.
- Learn a new skill or a new language.
- Play with dolls.
- Work on a puzzle.
- Attend a summer class.
- Do a random act of kindness.
- Start a collection.
- Create friendship bracelets.
- Learn how to sew.
- Try out photography.
- Visit a museum.
- Explore historical sites.
Let your child explore their creativity this summer. This might be the summer that they find their lifelong love of a specific hobby. Chances are you grew up without staring at a device, so think of the things that you did as a kid and relive those things with your kids and make new memories!