Will you join us for Screen-Free Week?
Growing up, my neighbor had a Blow Up Your TV bumper sticker. As a child, I never understood it. This same phrase later showed up on a “No TV Week” flyer my co-worker Jason Dean shared with me in 2005. We’ve been celebrating No TV Week ever since, but slowly it progressed to Screen-Free Week for obvious reasons.
Do you want to participate? Here are the official rules:
Make it work for you. Participate during the official week or ANY time during the year. Partake for a full week or try it for a weekend. Opt-out of TV time or include all screens. Shut down social networks, or just vow to call friends instead of seeing what they are up to on Facebook. Make your own rules. Below are 75 Screen-Free activities for your family!
Here are our family’s set of rules for the week:
- No TV all week, even after the kids are in bed
- Instead of our Weekly Movie Night, we will be doing Family Game Night
- Computer and internet use is acceptable only for work & school
- My partner is not allowed to play WordFued, but he is allowed 15 minutes of web access to check stats and make fantasy baseball trades
- The girls are allowed to yell at me if they see me using my iPhone for anything beyond making a phone call
FREE No Screen Week Activities
Write a letter to a friend
Check out a “How to Draw Cartoons” book at the library and practice with your kids
Go for a PJ Walk before bed with flashlights
Take a family bike ride
Schedule a family game night
Pack a small picnic
Eat breakfast, lunch, or dinner outside
Find some space and work on a family puzzle for the week
Perform or read a play together sharing parts (Ex: Frog & Toad Download)
Have your child write their own play
Take turns reading a book out loud
Play 20 Questions
Play a game of spoons
Make Goop
Organize a classic neighborhood game like tag, capture the flag, or kick the can
Go frog catching
Roll down a hill
Go for a hike
Paint outside
Jump rope :: Learn classic songs
Teach your little ones classic hand clapping recess games (Ex: Miss Mary Mac Video)
Have a reading picnic inside: blanket on living room floor with books
Start a rock collection
Go for a boat ride
Make a sock puppet with odds and ends
Learn a new card game (Ex: Kings in the Corner)
Have your child choose, prepare and serve dinner one evening
Do spring yard clean-up: rake, clean away dead material, prep garden, etc.
De-clutter: go through toys and donate
It is never too late to start reading out loud with your child, try busting open a copy of Harry Potter, or let them pick the title
Build a Lego city
Have popcorn for dinner
Grab the blankets and make a fort over the kitchen table & chairs
Dig a hole (Seriously, your child will think it is fun)
Search for bugs and worms
Make a nature mobile
Invite family friends over for dinner
Plant a seed
Set-up a bird feeder & check out Birds,Nests & Eggs (Take Along Guides) by Mel Boring from the library
Bake cookies
Make fresh lemonade
Make homemade tomato sauce
Take your children individually to the local coffee shop for a hot chocolate date
Make a worm bin
Give your kid a whole roll of Scotch Tape to do whatever they wish, see what happens
Buy blank greeting cards and have the kids decorate them
Be A Tourist In Your Own Town During Screen Free Week
Check out the local Park & Rec site for any free kid’s programs
Check to see if there is a Wild Birds Unlimited store near your home, they often offer inexpensive classes
See if any of the local schools have plays going on, many do spring performances
Check to see if your community has pottery painting, we recommend choosing a utilitarian item to paint… like a cup or bowl!
Check your local museum for art classes
See if your local YMCA has a weekly family night
Go swimming
Go to the park
Play at the library
See if your library has any kid’s programs
Find a restaurant with a patio
Choose a country then go to the library; pick up a cookbook & educational books, learn & eat
Check Home Depot for free kid’s classes
Make a trip to the ice cream stand
Have your child pick a topic, research it at the library and have them write their own book with the info
Go bowling
Adult Fun For Screen Free Week
Scrabble, cards, adult games!
Talk about your 5 year goals and reconnect
Drink your morning coffee outside, intentionally, aka not in a rush
Take 100 Things off Your House’s Waistline
Get up early and have a slow, warm breakfast with the kids
Boil water for tea on the stove
Rearrange the furniture in your house
Salute spring with a fresh mint blueberry mojito
Print the list of 75 Screen Free Week Ideas here!
Will you join us for a day or for the week? Can you break free?
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