We are three weeks into our screen free summer and so far it’s been hardest on me! The kids have barely noticed, but I’ve never missed My Little Pony more. Abby came into the bathroom the other day while I was showering, and when I encouraged her to go play in her room, she looked me dead in the eye and said: “I want to watch you.”
Ummm…. WHERE IS THE IPAD! SOMEONE GET THIS CHILD AN ELECTRONIC BABYSITTER!
The kids have rarely even asked for screen time, and have instead busied themselves with destroying the house room by room. They have also successfully turned the backyard from quaint suburban lawn to garden/junkyard/toy graveyard chic. But they’ve been having fun, and we’ve been sticking to our Summer of Less. Keeping the kids entertained without defaulting to the iPad has required a little creativity, so I thought I would share my top screen-free activities for summer.
Outdoor Play
Put your kids outside and lock the door.
KIDDING. Maybe. Sort of.
Your kids don’t really need you to entertain them. Seriously. My kids have been playing with a stick and rope tied to a tree branch for hours. The trick is you’ve got to just let them get to it, without interfering or telling them to “be careful” every 20 seconds. Put them outside. Walk away and drink your iced coffee while they argue over who gets the “best” swing (even though they are identical).
Think about it: when was the last time you really dug into a project or conversation with someone watching you, or telling you how to do things? Give those kids some space and see what they come up with.
Go for a Hike or Walk
Depending on your kid’s ages, current nap status, and your tolerance for complaining, take your kids on a walk or throw them in the stroller. A hike through the woods is a great way to get some exercise and entertain the kids all at once. Even just 30 minutes walking through the woods is a great way to mix up the day, plus the woods are nice and shady in the hot summer months.
Natural Play areas are also a great way to spend some time outside. Check with your local city or metro parks to see what’s available near you.
Just don’t forget the bug spray. Seriously. Ticks are not to be trifled with.
Natural Play Area at Char Mar Preserve
Tackle a home project
Got something around the house you’ve been meaning to get to, but never feel like you have the time? Now is a perfect time knock out some painting, decluttering, or spring cleaning.
But how is this entertaining to the kids?
Give them the option of helping you or finding something else to do on their own. Be firm. Either they agree to help (win) or they flee the scene and hide in their room until project time is over (win). If they opt to help you let them. Be ok with the task going slower. They are learning and getting quality time with you.
And if they flee the scene, only to emerge five minutes later asking for a snack, or complaining because their sister took their toy, repeat this phrase:
“If you can’t play on your own I will gladly give you something to do.”
Hit the Library
On a rainy or horribly hot day, hit up the local library. Many libraries have play areas for the kids, and my kids have never turned me down when I offer to read to them. Pick up some books for yourself too, so you have something to read when the weather is better and you can throw them outside.
Explore local festivals and community events
Do a quick google search of festivals in your state, community nights, and community events in your area. Good places to look are at your local metro parks, your library, or community center. Many towns have farmers markets, theater in the park and library story times. Our local metro parks offer several ranger-led programs, preschool story hours, and guided hikes. You just have to look for it! Most of these events are also free or available at a very low cost.
If you live in the Columbus area, check out Columbus Moms Blog for some great ideas of things to do and places to go this summer.
Checking out an owl at a local park community event
Set a family goal
Make a fun family goal or work on a family project this summer. Last year we made a goal to visit 100 parks in a year, so our summer was full of adventures. This year the kids and I are working in the garden together. I’m also making a personal goal to teach the kids more in the kitchen. This is a great way to spend time together that doesn’t involve a screen.
We are currently working our way through Harry Potter with Olivia, and it’s been fun for me to re-read one of my favorites!
Here’s a sweet family goal – sample every single ice cream shop in your area and vote on family favorites.
Enforce a Quiet Time
Ok. We’re all thinking it – without screens when the hell do I get stuff done that I absolutely need peace and quiet for??
Things like actual work, calling the pediatrician, or eating chocolate without having to share.
Enforce a quiet time. Make it mandatory. Ours is always after lunch. We do skip it if we’re having a playdate, special event day, or something that really can’t be moved. But if we are just having a normal day at home, the kids know that the hour after lunch is quiet time. They have to play quietly in their rooms on their own.
If they wander out I can say without guilt – “It’s quiet time, go back to your room.”
And I can use that time to catch up on anything I’d like. Except for chores. Don’t use your quiet time for chores – do that stuff with your kids! Seriously. Either they help you with chores or they entertain themselves.
Going Screen Free encourages independent play
Eliminating or reducing screen time is a great way to encourage independent play, but it’s only one piece of the puzzle.
Take away the screens but don’t replace them with prepackaged entertainment and orchestrated activities. Seriously. Stop worrying so much about the 50 Easy Yard Games to Make with a Pool Noodle and Mayonnaise this Summer craft projects and let them just be kids. Let the craft projects happen naturally, let the games happen naturally.
I’m not advocating never playing with your kids or doing crafts with them, I’m just saying, step back and let our kids come up with the ideas, instead of Pinterest.
With a little patience and the willingness to dole out chores, you can have a successful summer with less screen time. Do your best and take the pressure off yourself to deliver the most awesome summer ever to your kids.
Because all our kids really care about is whether the freezer is well stocked with popsicles.
This is ambitious! Very brave of you to have a screen free summer. We are cutting back, after a long cold winter here the kids spent way too much time inside, so these are all great ideas. Play dates also work for us, a good way to mix things up and keep the kids occupied for hours, digging in the backyard is suddenly new when there are different kids around. Plus it’s free and I get some company with other moms. I like that your post and writing is realistic, I will be back!
We are lucky enough to have lots of kids in our neighborhood for nearly everyday playdates. It’s amazing what kind of backyard games they can come up with! Thanks for stopping by!