In the 21st century with 24/7 technology, children, teens and adults are lacking “present moment awareness”. Someone can be sitting next to you on the couch, but if they are attached to their cell phone, they are not really “present”, not mindfully anyway. It is the same for watching TV and playing video games. We are losing our ability to interact compassionately with other humans. Of course, there are many reasons for this, but a big one seems to be our constant connection to technology.
According to an article in Greater Good Magazine entitled 5 Reasons to take a break from screens, studies have shown that people experience deepened connections when they put the phone down, turn the TV off and spend time with other humans present in the moment. Preteens, after five days at a camp without media use, outperformed their peers in recognizing nonverbal cues of emotion, an important foundation for empathy. Students report improved connections with family, friends, and classmates as a benefit of the “tech fast”.
So, let’s stow those devices away, turn the TV off and have some fun!! I have 10 entertaining activities that we like to do in our family: 5 outdoor and 5 indoor. My affiliate links are included for any items that we purchased on Amazon.
Go for a walk
Unfortunately, childhood obesity has reached epidemic proportions in the U.S. and other developed countries. Television, computer, and video games cause children to be inactive. Fears of stranger danger and the shocking child trafficking statistics also make parents afraid of letting their children walk to school, the store, or the playground.
Going for family walks is a wonderful way to get the activity in, in a more controlled environment.
The physical benefits are obvious, but did you know that there are countless other benefits such as improved mood, decreased anxiety, boost in creativity, and better sleep. Not to mention we could all use an extra dose of Vitamin D these days. Turn the TV off, put the computer away and get outside for some sunshine and fresh air!
create a scavenger hunt
Scavenger hunts allow kids to practice problem-solving in a tangible way and they are easy to customize to your child’s abilities and interests. Basically, scavenger hunts are about finding different items on a list. The items can be very simple things such as a flower or a pinecone or more advanced items for older children, like a specific flower or type of plant.
If the weather is nice, you can create a nature-based scavenger hunt. If being outside is uncomfortable, you can always do an indoor hunt for items around the house.
Nature Hunt
Create an image hunt for younger children or a word hunt for older kids. Choose flowers, plants, trees and animals around your yard or the park to create your own Nature Hunt. You can also find printables online.
For more info visit Alice & Lois
Color Hunt
Create a color hunt simply by painting or coloring on a piece of paper. Then send your child outside to find items that match the colors that you chose.
See more at i heart crafty things
Letter Hunt
Create a hunt by letter. You can do an alphabet hunt using A-Z, or and combination of letters that you chose. The child simply has to find an item starting with that letter.
See more at no time for flash cards
Math Hunt
My daughter was assigned this hunt for her fun Friday activity during remote learning. You can adjust it as needed with items from around your house.
For more ideas visit Envision Blog
Go swimming in your own backyard
When we moved out to a more rural area a few years ago, I discovered that the nearest pool was nearly 20 minutes away. Having a baby and a toddler at the time, that was not going to work for us! I started doing some research, with the original intent of getting one of those small plastic kid pools, the kind you see lining shopping center sidewalks in the spring and summer. However, as I searched, I discovered that larger, grown-up sized pools were actually very affordable. (at least it was when we purchased it pre-pandemic. They are hard to come by currently so the prices are high. We paid less than $200 in 2017 and 2019)
We settled on this Intex Easy Set pool and have loved it! We try to take the kids out for at least an hour every day from about April-September, weather permitting. The great thing about this pool is that you can drain it, roll it up and store it at the end of the season. I recommend storing it is a sealed container if possible. The first year we had ours, we stored it in our shed, unprotected, only to find that mice had chewed holes in it during the winter.
Get creative with sidewalk chalk
This is a fun and easy activity that exploded in popularity at the onset of the pandemic. People were desperate to spread happiness and good cheer and began coloring sidewalks and driveways all over the world. My kids enjoy drawing pictures and creating random hopscotch patterns in the driveway.
Playing with colorful sidewalk chalk gives kids a creative outlet to express themselves, encouraging an appreciation of art.
Sidewalk chalk is the perfect tool to get little ones excited about holding an instrument and being creative. We use it in the driveway for our 3 year old to practice his “pencil grip”, improving fine motor skills.
Using sidewalk chalk is a fun way to practice the alphabet and write words. We also use hopscotch and numbered squares to help our kids with numbers. Spending time on the driveway, sidewalk, or even in a deserted parking lot with a box of chalk is a creative way to help teach kids numbers, letters and shapes making it a fun learning tool.
go fishing
This is an activity that my son and daughter love doing with daddy. It’s a great family bonding activity that allows my husband to hang out with the kids while teaching them about one of his passions. Fishing is also a way to teach kids self-reliance, learning to provide for themselves. Our society relies heavily on ‘service’ and having other people do many jobs for you. Learning how to fish gives your kiddos confidence, showing them that they can catch a fish and provide dinner for the family. (Although we normally catch and release)
And as any fisherman will tell you, you will learn a lot about patience!! It’s called fishing and not catching for a reason! As with any outdoor activity, exposure to Vitamin D helps your body regulate the absorption of calcium and phosphorus, two minerals that improve immune system function, and help defend against disease. The best source of vitamin D is a day outdoors under the sun.
Play a board Game
This is the old stand by. I know most people have a closet or cabinet somewhere full of games. My kids are still on the young side with favorites like Candyland and Operation. My 3 year old recently discovered Zingo and he is obsessed. Playing board games is a great family bonding activity that fosters cooperation, patience and teaches kids how to be graceful losers and humble winners.
Candyland
We love the retro version! But the more modern versions are just as fun.
This was a favorite of mine as a child and now my kids are loving it!
This is a super fun game that my 3 and 6 year olds both love! A fun spin on regular bingo.
Build a fort
I order from Amazon. A lot. And my kids get super excited when my monthly subscribe & save delivery shows up in a giant box so they can transform it into a fort.
Other times, they gather every blanket that they can find and come up with clever ways to fashion forts all over the house. Granted, as a mom, I am not always super excited about the mess that fort making can generate, but the child in me loves watching the joy in their eyes and wishes that I could fit in the fort with them.
shrinky dinks
Shrinky Dinks were invented in 1973 by two housewives (Betty Morris and Kate Bloomberg) of Brookfield, Wisconsin, as a Cub Scout project with their sons. The first kits were sold at a local shopping mall and became very popular. The shrink plastic is still available from many retailers and can be used for a variety of things like charms and pins.
Shrinky dinks were a favorite of mine as a child! They were so magical to me. The fact that I could color something and put it in the oven and a tiny version would come out was mind-blowing to me…heck, all of these years later, I’m still baffled by it. I love that I get to share the magic with my kids now. My 3-year-old is still a little young, but my 6 year old loves them, especially the jewelry and key chains!
dollar Tree crafts
The Dollar Tree has a ton of cheap ($1) crafts for kids. My kids really enjoy the paintable crafts. They have different types depending on the season. My kids have enjoyed painting the pictured craft, 5 paints and brush included. We also like to get the Christmas themed paintable ornaments every year to create memories for years to come. The birdhouse craft is another favorite. Though the paint and brush are not included with this one. These are a great way for the kiddos to get creative! And they make sweet gifts.
Kinetic Sand
Kinetic Sand looks like regular sand but is available in different colors and can be molded into any desired shape. It mimics the physical properties of wet sand. It’s a wonderful sensory activity, and not just for the little ones. The other day, my kids were playing with it, building castles and cupcakes and all sorts of imaginative things, so I decided to join them. I have to say, it’s a little bit addictive. I found myself taking over and creating a village of castles (from plastic molds).
I hope that these ideas have inspired you to take a break from technology for a while. Turn off the TV, shut down your devices and take time to enjoy having fun the way we used too when I was growing up back in the 1980’s!