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Today, we are so busy in our lives with everything in hyperdrive. From long days at school to after-school activities and sport, kids need a break… And so do mom and dad!
Parents, work hard all day then they have to usually shuttle the kids to activities and let’s not forget cook dinner and keep up with the house. Creating time for some unplugged activities should be on everyone’s to-do list.
It is so important to make sure you have downtime each and every day.  It can be hard because kids prefer to be busy. It’s a good idea to have some unplugged activities to not only get them off the devices but to also relax a little.
50 Unplugged Activities for Kids
- Print a free set of paper dolls color and decorate.
- Do a jigsaw puzzle.
- Take a walk.
- Climb a tree.
- Read a classic book.
- Collect rocks and paint them. Use these rock painting ideas to get inspired.
- Play with kinetic sand.
- Write a story.
- Make a bedtime sensory bottle, and count the stars in the dark to unwind.
- Have a DIY spa day.
- Blow bubbles.
- Skip stones.
- Learn to knit or crochet.
- Color! Both kids and adults.
- Go on a nature hike and then make nature crafts for kids.
- Have a scavenger hunt.
- Jump rope.
- Make some play doh and play!
- Build a fort.
- Bake chocolate chip cookies.
- Do yoga.
- Make a sensory tub.
- Paint.
- Pick flowers and make a flower press book.
- Lay in the grass and look at the clouds.
- Play a family board game.
- Make paper airplanes.
- Make puppets and put on a play.
- Get creative with cardboard boxes, like these Cardboard Playhouses.
- Build a house of cards.
- Make coffee filter flowers.
- Paint in the bath tub!
- Go to the playground and swing!
- Start a scrapbook with your own DIY book.
- Create origami.
- Play dress-up.
- Have a tea party.
- Make and play with slime!
- Build with blocks or Legos.
- Have a picnic.
- Go to the library.
- Make pipe cleaner creations like these Pipe Cleaner Ninjas.
- Dig in the dirt.
- Lay in a hammock.
- Make ice cream.
- Write a letter.
- Plant a garden.
- Make a cardboard TV.
- Dance in the rain.
- Play flashlight tag.
BONUS IDEA: Print out these free Would You Rather Questions For Kids from our friend Vera. You can play the game with your kids or let them play the game with their friends. It’s such a fun way to get kids off their devices and they’re even practicing their reading while they play!
Research is continually showing the importance of play for kids and with a little bit of help from parents, kids can get lost in hours of creative play and forget about their smartphones and video games.
If you can get your kids started with one or more of these activities, you’ll get some downtime for yourself and they’ll have brain-building play-time. You can set them for a series of activities at a time that you do together but that also gives you a few minutes for yourself.
For example, you could pull out some dress up clothes, a play tea set, supplies for a fort, and some printable coloring sheets. Then suggest they build a fort and dress up for a tea party inside their fort where they can have a coloring craft activity at their party.
Sometimes kids need a little help getting started with ideas and supplies for creative play.
It’s important to take time away from technology including cell phones, computers, televisions and devices so that everyone can truly have real downtime. Any distractions will interrupt your downtime, and it’s best to avoid them as much as possible! Unplug and have some family fun with these activities.
I find that my kids easily put down their devices when I suggest one of these fun activities. And it’s crazy how fast kids grow up… you really want to take every opportunity to spend quality time together.
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Laura says
I grew up with real toys not electronics and I want my children to play it, too. It’s the good gears to enhance development of children. The unplugged activities are not only make kids fun but also let me do activities with them. Thanks for the list that some I forgot.
Anita Alvarez says
How about an activity about money? Older kids can get out utility bills and compare spending in years when winters were cold and mild (see the difference in costs) and summers, too. We recently replaced our wall insulation, and our daughter did her science project on the cost savings before and after.