If your family dynamic is anything like ours, getting our son Issac to have screen-free time is like walking into a literal battleground. I mean really, you better be suited up with your straightest face/mommy voice and be ready to handle whatever comes your way. Whether it is an iPad, video games, or just the straight-up television, he wants to always be on a screen. We used to have a really good system in place where he was only allowed four hours of screen time a day, but as life goes, our system went down the drain.
We had a few life changes, which resulted in me going back to work full time and Jonathan having to work from home and entertain Isaac simultaneously. I’m sure you can only imagine what Jonathan’s Zoom calls have been looking/sounding like in the background with a seven-year-old rambunctious boy and a hyper-active velcro dog. Basically, I had abandoned rank and decided to explore a world far away from the battleground that is sometimes our home.
Since the parenting was now left solely on Jonathan’s shoulders, who still had plenty of work to complete during the day, we wanted to come up with a “war plan” or a list of screen-free activities for Isaac. Of course, these activities always existed in our house.
However, we found that compiling a list of activities that he loved was beneficial as “weapons” that we could use when he complained he had “nothing to do” and was going to “die of boredom”.
Here are a few fun screen-free activities we suggest:
Scavenger Hunts – Isaac LOVES these. My mom introduced these to me as a child, and I remember the air of mystery and excitement like it was yesterday. It only takes a few minutes to write some clues and leave them scattered around the house. And his little laugh as he runs rampant around the house going from clue to clue is so adorable. We usually leave a “prize” at the last location. Something simple like some cookies or a coupon for a late bedtime.
Charades – Charades is another game I loved as a kid. I remember every holiday when all of our family got together, we would play really intense rounds of charades. All it takes is paper, pen, imagination, and the ability to act without speaking. That last point is essential to me. The boys always try to cheat and make sound effects- but that is cheating!
Chalk Murals – This is a new idea that was actually brought to my attention by a few of my fellow Destin 30A Mom bloggers! It’s such a cute idea and only takes tape, a fence or concrete, and some chalk. Then voila, your child is a budding artist!
Costume Parties – Okay, so that sounds a little girly, but that’s what my sisters and I called them growing up! For Isaac’s sake, maybe let’s refer to them as…uhm.. dress-up parties? I don’t know. But the point is he loves to dress up in his favorite costumes and waltz with his chest puffed out like he owns the joint. When we took the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway to the top of San Jacinto Peak, he wore his ninja turtles costume. During that same trip, we also took him to Disneyland, where he bought a Storm Trooper costume, which has seen much use ever since.
Swiffer Battles – This is something new that the two of us recently invented. One day, I was sweeping the house, and Isaac was helping me out by Swiffering. We crossed each other’s paths, and because neither of us is more mature than the other, we just started “battling” with our two instruments. There have been many rematches since and Isaac holds the title for reigning champ.
20 Questions – This game first came about while driving in the car. Isaac hates silence and will chatter until his jaw falls off, usually about his latest video game. Listening to video game facts and battles can only be entertaining for so long, so we started playing 20 questions. It’s a fun way to all bond and is simple enough that we can play it anywhere, anytime.
Nerf Gun Battles – Growing up in an all-girl family with mainly all girl cousins, Nerf guns were new territory for me. But there’s nothing quite like suiting up in full armor and turning the house into a battlefield. Sometimes we play on teams, but mainly it’s every man for himself. Our neighbors know when we’re in full-on war from the sounds of shouting “pew pew” or “that wasn’t fair” or “I GOT YOU!”
I hope the activities spark some fun ideas of screen-free activities for other moms out there, or if you have any to add to our arsenal, I would love to hear them!
