One look around and it’s pretty clear: Screens are in the hands of everyone, including children. In fact, 40% of children own their own tablet by age 2 and by age 4, that number jumps to 58%, according to a 2025 report from Common Sense Media. Those statistics might be troubling to parents of young kids since 75% to 80% of parents with children between the ages of 0 to 8 years reveal that they have consistent concerns about screen media, including worries about too much screen time, inappropriate content, and impact on mental health.
And while we can all agree that screens can be beneficial in many settings, there’s evidence that too much screen time is linked to emotional and behavioral problems in children. More and more families are seeking sitters who can help support them in their quest for more unplugged time, particularly during schools breaks and summertime. Before your next child care job, check out our list of fun, screen-free activities to keep kids happy and engaged.
Screen-Free Ways to Be Creative
Creative play can encourage kids’ imagination and expression, not to mention lead to hours of enjoyment for kids. A few creative ideas we love:
1. Build a Blanket Fort
Hello, cozy: Transform a living room or den into a hideout using blankets, sheets, pillows, chairs, sleeping bags, you name it. Once you’re happy with the fort, you can bring in books, stuffed animals, flashlights and, yes, snacks, for some extra entertainment. Find some fun fort inspo.
2. Organize an Art Station
What could be more inviting than a set-up tricked out with crayons, construction paper, stickers, markers, and pipe cleaners? Let the pint-sized Picassos in your care go to town and make some masterpieces. Beyond busting boredom, making art has massive benefits for kids. Holding pencils, crayons and paintbrushes help develop fine motor skills (which in turn benefits handwriting) and making artistic choices hones cognitive skills, such as understanding patterns as well as cause and effect (such as mixing blue with yellow creates green). Art also encourages math understanding as kids consider concepts like shape, size and symmetry while it strengthens language skills when they explain their work and their process. Caregivers can encourage this by asking open-ended questions when presented with kids’ finished art products.
3. Construct a Cardboard Creation
Notice some leftover boxes around. See if you can repurpose them to build a space ship, race car, castle, or boat. It could stimulate interest in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math). Get some genius ideas from Harvard Graduate School of Education.
4. Make a Storybook Together
Grab some paper and colored pencils, and ask kids to draw the pictures while you they dictate a story that you can write down. Research shows that storytelling helps expand children’s vocabulary while improving comprehension and communication skills. It also helps kids recognize sound patterns, which in turn strengthens literacy skills. It’s also been shown to encourage critical thinking, story sequencing, and imagination while encouraging emotional regulation, empathy as well as social learning. Last but definitely not least, storytelling can been shown to lower stress.
5. Play Restaurant
If the kiddos you care for adore culinary activities, encourage them to lean into that love: Have them set up a table, and create a menu. Be their guest, order and allow them to serve you their speciality. Imaginary play has been shown to improve self-regulation. Bonus? The bill can probably be paid with a high-five and a hug.
Screen-Free Ways to Play and Learn
Keep kids engaged (and boost brain power to boot) with these screen-free activities.
6. Pick Out Some Puzzles
With options for every age, all kids can work on puzzles, which not only keeps them off screens but helps them practice patience and sharpen their problem-solving skills. Research has shown that kids who regularly do puzzles tend to have better spatial reasoning.
7. Create a Scavenger Hunt
Come up with a list of things kids can find either around the house or in the backyard. (No need to get too complicated — ordinary items like spoons, socks, etc. work just as well!) While kids have fun exploring, they will also be bolstering critical thinking, problem-solving, and patience while hunting for items. Find a few fun nature scavenger hunt ideas.
8. Try Sorting Games
Practice sorting toys by color, size, or type: Know that sorting and matching are key actions that lay the groundwork for math skills, such as pattern recognition, counting by groups, and number operations like addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division.
9. Build with Blocks
… or Lego or MagnaTiles or whatever your child loves. Playing with building blocks of all kinds has been linked to better behavioral self-regulation as well as improved skills in geometry down the line.
10. Practice Simple Science Experiments
Come up with some easy science experiments and see how kids watch in awe. Think adding baking soda to vinegar for a bubbly reaction or see how fast ice melts when mixed with salt. Not only will these activities engage kids, but the mental exploration can pave the way for deeper thinking about science. Find dozens of easy ideas.
Screen-Free Ideas for Active Play
Get all that energy out with these easy, low-prep activities kids actually love. Whether you’re indoors or outside, these ideas can encourage kids to move, reset, and get a much-needed respite from staring at a screen. Another upside? Physical activity has loads and loads of benefits for children, including sharper attention and memory, improved blood pressure and heart health, a reduced risk of depression, and much more.
11. Create an Obstacle Course
Turn the playroom or yard into an adventure zone. You can set up pillows to leap over, put down lines with packing tape to balance on, and arrange chairs to crawl over and under. Try timing each round or let kids design the course themselves.
12. Start a Dance Party
Crank up the tunes and get kids of all ages moving, however they’d like. You can create themes such as “silly dancing” or “mimic my moves” to keep it little ones engaged and excited. You can also play a game of Freeze Dance: Flip on and off the playlist for a pause and ask kids to freeze in a specific themes (like an animal or in the silliest way you can).
13. Play a Game of “Simon Says”
One easy way to practice listening skills while keeping kids active and engaged? A game of good old fashioned Simon Says. Mix in movements like jumping, twirling, or balancing and add in funny faces or other entertaining twists as you see fit.
14. Practice Balloon Volleyball
Find some string or ribbon to tie between two chairs then use a balloon as the ball. Instant fun, but beware: Things get competitive fast!
15. Plan a Picnic
Shake up the usual routine by relocating snack time or lunch outside, or set up a blanket or tablecloth inside on the floor.
16. Get Artsy with Chalk
Spruce up the stoop, sidewalk or driveway with some colorful chalk. Whether you make a massive mural, sketch out hopscotch, play tic tac toe, or trace silhouettes, it’s a fun way to mix things up.
17. Hit the Beach
A simple way to shore up some fun? Go to your closest beach (weather permitting) and try some of these awesome activities from Bright Horizons. From collecting shells to building a sand castle, these ideas are sure to turn the tide on screen dependence.
18. Make a Splash with Water
For sunnier, warmer days, water can be your BFF: Grab some buckets, cups, sponges, and a hose — then go to town. Create a sponge relay if you have a few kiddos, or do a sponge toss back and forth, You can also bring out a colander and have little ones create an outdoor shower.
19. Get a Garden Going
Plant flowers or herbs, or even just dig in the dirt. Not only is this a hands-on activity, but research shows that gardening has a bumper crop of benefits for kids. One study found that elementary school age children who participated in gardening activities scored significantly higher on science achievement tests compared to students who didn’t garden, and gardening has been shown to increase children’s consumption of veggies, lower kids’ stress levels, boost interpersonal connections, and more.
Screen-Free Ideas for Chill Time
Need to slow things down? Check out a few ways to help kids reset after active play or transition between other parts of the day.
20. Read Together
We’re big on sharing a book with kids. Not only does reading with kids promote language development and set them up for success at school, but it encourages a love of reading. Let kids choose the book then narrate it with fun voices, ask open-ended questions to stimulate discussion, and take a few pauses to chat about what’s happening.
21. Bake Something Simple
Give aspiring chefs a project: Whether they get to measure, mix or help stir, they’ll love the opportunity to create something delicious. One fun idea? Have them place cupcake liners in each pocket of a tin, then make some yummy muffins. We love this recipe.
22. Take Time for Mindfulness
In a recent Bright Horizons webinar, Dr. Laura Bakosh, Co-Founder & CEO of Inner Explorer, shared, “A daily mindfulness practice is to mental health what daily toothbrushing is to dental health.” Adding in some mindful moments doesn’t take much — but it can go a long way toward helping children build the skills they need to stay grounded. Try these smart and simple ideas from Bright Horizons.
Frequently Asked Questions About Screen-Free Activities for Kids
What are good screen-free activities for kids at home?
Easy activities like building forts, drawing, reading, playing card games or leading “Simon Says” can keep kids engaged without a screen in sight. The key is offering kids their choice of creative, active, or quiet options.
How do I keep children entertained without screens?
Have a loose structure for a decent chunk of time that includes with a variety of activities. You can rotate between play, movement, and quiet time to ward off boredom and keep kids engaged for longer stretches of time.
What are screen-free activities for toddlers? How about older kids?
You can take the lead from the children in your care but toddlers typically prefer simple, sensory-based play (think sorting or water play) while older kids are apt to lean toward building projects, games, or creative storytelling.
How much screen-free time should kids have each day?
Totally depends on the family’s schedule, but many parents aim to balance screen time with active play, reading, and hands-on activities throughout the day. Be sure to ask families about their guidelines and limits.
Can babysitters help with screen-free activities?
Absolutely YES (in capital letters). In fact, many parents prefer caregivers who come prepared with ideas to keep kids engaged without relying on screens. As always, asking parents about their preferences about screen time ahead of time can help ensure everyone is on the same page.
