A Low-Tech School Holiday: Keeping Children Busy and Happy Without Screens

As we approach the holiday season, amidst the whirlwind of events, parties, and gift-giving, parents often face the challenge of keeping their children entertained during school vacations. The holiday season can be exhausting, and it’s understandable why parents might resort to screens to keep their kids occupied. After all, quiet kids engrossed in their tablets or video games mean parents can get things done — or simply relax.

However, the overuse of screens by children is a growing concern. According to Common Sense Media, children aged 8 to 12 spend nearly five hours a day on entertainment media, while tweens and teens spend seven hours. This figure excludes time spent on screens for school or homework. Given how captivating entertainment media can be, these numbers can spike during weekends and school vacations. That’s why it’s essential to be proactive and come up with alternative activities. Below are some ideas for parents and caregivers to try. These activities are primarily suitable for children through elementary school, but tweens and teens might enjoy some of them too.

Spending Time Off the Screen

Go Outside

Encourage your children to spend time outdoors. Despite sounding obvious, kids today spend significantly less time outside than previous generations. Outdoor play can be incredibly fun and beneficial. If you have a yard, activities like hide-and-seek or building a fort from snow or available materials can be engaging. Without a yard, local parks or simple walks are excellent alternatives.

Visit the Library

Start the vacation with a trip to the library. Stock up on books to keep your child entertained throughout the break. Check out as many books as allowed and that you can carry, providing ample reading material for the holiday.

Indoor Fort Building

Transform your living room into a fun-filled adventure zone by building a fort using blankets, sheets, and chairs. If available, set up a small tent. Add pillows, sleeping bags, and flashlights, and let your kids sleep in it at night. Let the fort remain up for the entire vacation for continuous play.

Create an Indoor City

Using blocks, Legos, boxes, and other toys, build a sprawling city in your living room. Incorporate roads, cars, people, animals, and trains. Allow the city to expand daily throughout the vacation, sparking creativity and engagement.

Getting Creative Off the Screen

Crafting

Visit a craft store and gather inexpensive supplies like poster board, large paper sheets, paints, and markers. Encourage your child to create murals, comic books, stories, posters, or any other project that inspires their imagination. If you know how to knit or sew, consider teaching your child or working on a simple project together. Play music to enhance the creative atmosphere.

Reading Aloud

Reading aloud can be a magical experience. Select engaging books such as the Harry Potter series, the Chronicles of Narnia, or works by E.B. White and Roald Dahl. Use different voices for characters and make the stories come alive.

Puppet Shows

If you don’t have puppets, make some using socks or dolls and action figures. Create a makeshift stage from a box and cloth, and let the storytelling begin. This activity can entertain children and spark their imagination.

Board Games

Rediscover the joy of board games like checkers, chess, Uno, Connect 4, Sorry, Twister, Clue, Scrabble, or Monopoly. These games offer fun across different ages and can be a great way to spend quality time together. For those playing Scrabble, you can enhance the fun and learning by using the scrabble–word–finder.com to discover new words and strategies.

Baking

Involve your children in baking simple treats. Use mixes or pre-made cookie dough to keep things easy. Baking together not only results in delicious snacks but also offers a fun, hands-on activity. Play music and dance while you bake to add more joy to the experience.

Encouraging Independent Play

While some activities necessitate parental involvement, children can start many of them and then carry them out on their own. This independence is crucial for their development, allowing them to use their imagination and play creatively. As a bonus, parents might find themselves drawn into the fun, creating cherished holiday memories.

Final Thoughts

Balancing screen time with engaging, low-tech activities can help children enjoy their holidays while developing their creativity and independence. By planning ahead and introducing a variety of activities, you can keep your children busy and happy without relying on screens. This approach not only benefits the children but also offers parents a more fulfilling and relaxed holiday experience.