Finding screen-free activities for your kids can seem like a daunting task. I am here to share 30+ screen-free activities our family has tried, tested and loved! We limit screens in our home and have found so many fun activities that the kids can do by themselves or as a family.
Explore all of our go-to ideas for screen-free fun here!
30+ Screen-Free Activities for Kids at Home
Table of Contents
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Sensory Activities
Kinetic Sand Creations
Honestly, I love kinetic sand. We are a no slime house because it gets stuck everywhere but sand is so easy to vacuum up! Kids can build sandcastles, sculpt animals, or create scenes inspired by books or movies. We’re also obsessed with this outdoor picnic table that we bought for my son’s birthday. Easily one of our best buys, very durable, and I can see it lasting for years.
Sensory Bottle Making
Fill bottles with glitter, beads, water, and food coloring for mesmerizing visual and tactile experiences.
Playdough Fun
Make your own playdough or use store-bought, then mold animals, shapes, or letters. Here is our favorite playdough recipe!
Building Ideas
Jigsaw Puzzle
Choose a puzzle appropriate for the age group and work together to complete it. We started small with 50 piece puzzles and have worked our way up to 500 piece puzzles! We even framed a lego puzzle to display in our playroom!
LEGO Building Competition
Set a theme or time limit, then build the most creative or tallest structure. Lego creation books like these are a great resource to help with ideas and designs!
Magnetic Tiles Creations
Build houses, towers, ramps, or geometric shapes with magnetic tiles. We mix branded Magna-Tiles with budget-friendly Amazon sets, and they all work together perfectly. For easy cleanup, we store them in hard plastic cases so everything stays organized and ready for the next build.
Kapla Block Challenge
Replicate famous buildings or create abstract sculptures with Kapla blocks. We also like to use them like dominos and build a domino creation!
Straw and Tape Structures
Challenge yourselves to build the strongest or tallest structure using straws and tape.
Gigglescape Travel Toys
Although marketed as travel toys, Gigglescape’s educational kits are great for keeping little hands busy anywhere, even at home!
Physical Activities
Indoor Obstacle Course
Set up an obstacle course using furniture, pillows, and blankets for crawling, climbing, and balancing.
Living Room Dance Party
Crank up the music and have a family dance party, learning new moves or creating your own routines.
Indoor Basketball Games
Shoot hoops with a mini basketball hoop or create a DIY target using a box and paper.
Balloon Volleyball
Play volleyball using inflated balloons instead of a ball, focusing on hand-eye coordination.
Simon Says Freeze Dance
Follow the leader’s instructions, then freeze in place when “Simon says” stop.
Indoor Climbing
This indoor climbing gym is so great for little ones and encourages independent play! Plus, if you have the space, we also recommend this indoor rock climbing wall that every kid is obsessed with whenever they come over to our home.
Puppet Show
Have the kids design and create sock or paper bag puppets and put on a puppet show for the family.
Games
DIY Board Game
Design a simple board game based on a favorite book, movie, or theme.
Storytelling Chain
Take turns adding sentences to a story, creating a funny or suspenseful narrative together. A friend and published author told me about these And Then story starters and our family love them. They are a must-have!
Card Games
A family classic that never gets old! We love playing any time – rainy days, quiet afternoons, and sometimes after dinner. It’s great way to relax while also giving your brain a workout. Check out our full list of favorite card games.
Mom tip: Snag these card holders for your kids and a handy storage case to organize all your card games!
Board Games
Board and Dice game nights are a cherished tradition in our family, offering laughter, friendly competition, and quality time together. We’ve played countless board games over the years, and here are some of our absolute favorites that span different ages and interests.
DIY Escape Room or Scavenger Hunt
Hide clues around the house leading to a final prize, creating a real-life escape room experience.
Minute to Win It Challenges
Set simple tasks like stacking cups, flipping cards, or balancing objects with a one-minute time limit.
Fort Building Bonanza
Gather blankets, pillows, and chairs to build a cozy fort for reading, telling stories, or relaxing.
Creative Ideas
The Adventure Challenge Kids
We got this for our kids for Christmas and it has been amazing! The kids scratch off a challenge for them to complete and then they set off to do it together. I’m obsessed!
Sidewalk Chalk Art
Turn your driveway or sidewalk into a giant canvas! Try drawing murals, mapping out some hopscotch, tracing shadows, or even creating a full-on obstacle course. This is the perfect excuse to get everyone outside and off the couch!
Cardboard Box Fun
My kids LOVE cardboard boxes! Make it into a home for their favorite toys or transform a cardboard box into a pirate ship, spaceship, or fort for imaginative play.
Coloring and Drawing
Relax and express creativity with coloring books, drawing paper, and different art supplies. A directed drawing book is always a good idea!
Recycle Crafts
Recycle things like milk containers, toilet paper rolls, food containers etc and let kids make their own creation out of them!
Gardening Projects
Teaching kids to garden is a life skill they’ll appreciate for years to come. We started our almost four-year-old with a few simple seeds, and she’s been so proud watering them every day. When those first sprouts popped up, she was beyond excited. It’s also a really good opportunity to teach about responsibility and taking care of what matters to them.
Origami Folding Fun
Learn how to fold origami figures like animals, flowers, or boxes, following instructions or diagrams.
Simple Scrapbooking
Give your little ones a stack of photos (that are already pre-cut), colorful paper, shapes, stickers, glue sticks, and let them create their own mini memory books.
Story Time with Hot Cocoa
Cuddle up with blankets, pillows, and hot cocoa for a relaxing evening of reading stories or listening to audiobooks. We also love using audio players where the kids can listen independently. Yoto Players and Tonieboxes are a staple in our home!
Custom Bookmarks
We recently got into bookmark making, and it’s such a fun, low-mess craft. Kiddos can decorate cardstock paper then customize with markers, stickers, or washi tape. Then, laminate (or simply cover with clear packing tape) to keep their designs sturdy. We used this kit to create a dried flowers bookmark!
Learning Templates
Made by a local Nevada mama, these learning templates are so cute and make learning so much more fun and engaging.
Screen-Free Activities for Fun
Remember, adapt these activities to your children’s ages, interests, and available materials. The most important thing is to have fun, bond together, and create lasting memories!