School breaks, holiday seasons, and even weekends can sometimes feel long without the regular routine and activities filling them up. Free time is a great opportunity to take some rest and reconnect with family, but often this can be difficult when there are so many devices and distractions calling – the TV, games consoles, and smartphones always offer up something to do, even if it’s just filling up time.
While screen time isn’t always a bad thing, it’s all about striking a healthy balance between on and offline activities – which is easier said than done when it comes to occupying kids of all ages and all interests. To give you some inspiration, we’ve put together a bumper download of screen-free activities, designed to make screen-free time simple and stress-free.
How to use Qustodio’s screen-free activity cards
Parents always tell us that they want their kids to spend less time on screens (and parents too, come to that) – but sometimes they run out of ideas. There’s only so many times you can all play charades, encourage your teen to read a book, or get the coloring book out. These activity suggestions are a simple solution you can always have on hand. Whenever you hear the famous words – “I’m bored” – just draw a card and see where it takes you!
These screen-free activity cards get creativity flowing, encourage movement, and family connection without you needing to spend extra on fancy props and tools, or expensive activities like a family day out. Trips are a great option, but not always practical, especially for busy parents. Many of the activities can be done indoors, even in small spaces, and most can be done together or alone – it’s your choice.
What’s inside
The screen-free suggestions are grouped by age, so you can find ideas that fit your family best.
- Under 7s: imaginative play, crafts, and games that build curiosity and fine motor skills
- 7-9 year olds: creative projects and challenges that encourage independence and learning through play and exploration.
- 10-12 year olds: hands-on experiments, creative writing, and role-play ideas that get your almost-teen problem solving.
- Teenagers: meaningful projects, family leadership ideas, and creative outlets to help them express themselves (and that hopefully won’t make them cringe).
- All the family: activities designed to bring everyone together and share the fun.
Each group includes a mix of solo and collaborative ideas that can be adapted to any family, whether you live in the suburbs, a city, an apartment, or don’t have much space. There’s also a set of blank cards in the pack, so you can make your own ideas!
How to use the screen-free activity cards
Print out the cards, cut along the lines, and place them in a jar or box that you can label: “screen-free fun”, or better still, a name you decide together. Whenever boredom strikes, simply draw a card. You can take turns drawing them or nominate someone to draw. They’re color-coded by age, so if you have kids at different levels, just choose the card that corresponds.
If you don’t want to print in color, you could add a symbol for each age group to make it easy to find. If you don’t want to print, that’s OK too – simply find an activity on the PDF you’d like to do, and go for it!
How to set up healthy screen habits that encourage more family time
Want a little extra help getting the best online-offline balance so you can try out the activities above? Qustodio’s parental control tools are here to do just that. Check out our top tips below and make the most of Qustodio to get more family time.
1. Schedule device-free moments
Use Routines to schedule regular time away from screens so your kids can fully disconnect from their devices. Whether you want to encourage conversation at the dinner table or simply enjoy some offline activities, routines will help everyone to focus on family time.
2. Manage game and app use
If your kids find it difficult to resist the urge to scroll, or you think their frequent gaming could be reigned in a little, then set time limits for particular games and apps to help them maintain a healthy balance. They’ll be able to enjoy exploring the tech they love without it taking up all of their free time, making their device use much more intentional.
3. Give everyone a break
Sometimes spontaneity is the order of the day, and it’s time for everyone to enjoy some well-needed screen-free time that hasn’t been scheduled. Qustodio’s Family pause feature lets you pause the internet on all your children’s devices at once, meaning you can enjoy quality time together at the touch of a button. Great for those moments when you’re feeling cooped up, the kids have been hopping from one device to another all day, or you just want to disconnect for a while.
Our screen-free activity cards are sure to keep you occupied and inspired. By combining Qustodio’s parental control tools with some screen-free activity inspiration, we’re sure your family will look forward to all the new, creative ways you can spend family time together!
