SCREEN FREE

MENU

Opti ons for keepi ng

screen ti me l ow, wi th
mi ni mal stress

BY ANDREA, MA
LPC
CONTENTS

03 INTRODUCTION

05 GET OUTTA THE HOUSE

09 MEMBERSHIPS

11 ARTISTIC IDEAS

15 INDOOR GROSS MOTOR PLAY

17 HELPING AT HOME

19 IDEASD FOR OLDER KIDS

21 MORE SCREEN FREE HELP

HI THERE, I'M ANDREA!
Mom of two, wife of one, and low-screen living
enthusiast!

Ten years ago, when I had my first son, we were

not a low screen family. My son watched
movies, tv, and occasionally played on on my
iPad.

When his kindergarten year was interrupted with

the lockdowns, everything changed. His screen
time went through the roof.

After we finally came up for air, I knew we

needed to make a change. We put in some
effort, and in a short period we drastically
reduced.

When my daughter came along seven years

later, we kept the low-screen train rolling. Four
years and two kids deep, we love this lifestyle
and have never looked back.

Here’s a few of our go-to options when we need

to find something to do.

xo, Andrea
SCREEN-FREE IDEAS
 INTRODUCTION
HERE’S WHAT THIS IS & ISN’T
I love living a low-screen lifestyle, but one of the most consistent questions I am
asked is, “what do you do with your kids all day then?”

And the answer is that we kind of just live life. My kids help do the things I need
to do (cook, clean, run errands, etc), we get outside, we go on mini-adventures,
and we see lots of independent play.

However, I’ve found that it can be helpful to have some little idea’s to spark
imagination when you’re trying to fill half a Saturday without turning on the tv. So
I created this brief menu of options to help you find your “go-to” options.

This is definitely not a complete or comprehensive list of options, because I don’t

have 3247 years to write down everything you could do without screens, haha. It
is also not a round-up list of Pinterest-worthy activities.

There are a ton of resources for that, and honestly activities are not my strong-
suit.

It is a high-level list of things that you can work into your day to day life, and that
I hope will inspire you to find your own fun ideas. I hope this helps you the next
time you find yourself a scratching your head and wondering, “what am I gonna
do with these kids all day?”

But please know, as a parent, you do not need to fill all your time with doing
things. There is so much value in saving time for relaxing, resting, and letting
kids play on their own.

With that said, here’s your little list of screen-free options!

 ONE
CHAPTER ONE

GET OUTTA THE HOUSE

At least once a day, almost every day

Making an intentional effort to get out of the house helps keeps me and my kids
sane. It breaks up our day, gives us a change of scenery, and often helps reset
our moods. It doesn’t have to be complicated or involved, but at least once a
day we are leaving this damn house!
Get Out
But keep it simple
Decide how much time you have to kill, and
then let that guide which option you choose.
Sometimes you need to stay close to home,
other days you’ve got hours to kill.

1 Bike/Scooter/Skateboard Ride
So many options for cruising around the block or neighborhood here. Put your kid in
a bike chariot, on a strider bike, or a regular bike if they can ride and go for a ride.
For a change of pace, break out a scooter or skateboard.

2 Browse Some Books

Head over to Barnes & Noble, Half-Priced Books, or even a library. Let your kid
browse the books, read a story together, or engage in any child-friendly activities
they may have set up.

3 Playground/Green Space
As much as we love a climbing structure, we also really love a wide open area.
Take a soccer ball, some cones, or some toy vehicles. Let your kid make up games,
kick a ball around, or just dig around in some rocks.

4 Errands
Do not under-estimate the power of running errands as an activity. Go grocery
shopping, return a package, run to the bank, or pick up something from Home
Depot. Slow down and let your kid help and engage.
Get Out
Cont’
Some more free/cheap ideas

5 Grab A Little Treat

Head. to a coffee shop or bakery, grab a small little treat and cruise around or hang
out and eat. Staying in the car, driving around, and listening to music while you
enjoy is a great option when you’ve got a kiddo whose on the mend.

6 Browse/Window Shop
Run to Target and check out the toy aisle. Make sure to tell all the toys bye when
you head out (instead of taking them home). Check out and smell all the candles at
TJ Maxx. Look through seasonal decore at Home Goods.

7 Car Wash
Take your car to a cheap, drive thru style car wash. Kids love to watch all the foam
and spray, and honestly you could probably do a quick vacuum while you’re there,
right?

8 Farmers Market
Almost every city/town has at least one or two farmers going on during the weekend,
and it can be a great way to get out of the house, get some fresh air, grab some
produce, support your local small businesses, and browse some fun art.
Get Outside
When you’ve got a little more time
If you’ve got an hour or two, and want to have
some intentional time outside, these are some
really great options

1 Hit the Trails

Check out the trails in your area (you might be surprised what’s available), and go
for a hike or bike ride around the trails.

2 Water/Snow Stuff
During the summer, take inventory of the pools, lakes, and splashpads that are
within a reasonable driving distance. Depending on the age of your kids, you can
also consider kayaking, stand up paddleboarding, canoeing, etc. When it’s colder,
head outside for sledding, tubing, or a snowball fight.

3 Sports
Organized sports can be a great way to teach your kids to work collaboratively with
others, but also don’t underestimate the power of a good old-fashioned pick up
game. Don’t forget to check out local high school sports that you can watch for next
to nothing. If you have a gym membership, start taking your kid to workout with you.

4 Garden
One of the handiest skills you can teach a child is how to grow their own food. Let
them help create and manage a small home garden.
 TWO
CHAPTER TWO

MEMBERSHIPS
Have some go-to options that aren’t going to
cost you every single time
Memberships
So you always have something to do
These are great gift ideas if you’ve got a
birthday or holiday coming up in the near
future. Ask a family member to purchase a
membership instead of a gift.

1 Botanical Gardens
A great way to get outside consistently. Most botanical gardens have an evolving
menu of activities for young kids to choose from, and they always have interesting
things to look at.

2 Children’s Musems
Not my favorite activity, but if there’s a midweek day where things are slower,
children’s museums can be a great activity for little ones.

3 Amusement Parks
Every year we request season passes to a local waterpark in our area, and hit up at
the slowest times of the season. When you’ve got a pass, it doesn’t feel like you
need to rush to get to all the rides, and you can leave after just 1 or 2 because you
can come back all season.

4 Zoo/Animal Rescue/Aquarium
Kids love checking out animals, and it’s a great way to kill a couple of hours if it’s not
super hot.
THREE
CHAPTER THREE

ARTISTIC IDEAS
Simple ideas for little artists
Baby Art
Is your infant going to create something you
want to hang on a wall? Not likely. But they
can engage in some fun sensory play.

1 Paint in a Bag
Put some acrylic paint in a clear ziploc bag and tape it to the floor or a high chair to
let your baby smoosh it around.

2 Paint Sticks on Butcher Paper

Tape some butcher paper onto the floor or on high chair and hand over some
tempera paint sticks and let them go to town.

3 Water Paint
Let them “paint” on wood or construction paper with water and sponges or paint
brushes for a nearly mess-free activity.

4 Musical Instruments
Hand over some egg shakers, a xylophone, or just some pots and pans and let them
go to town.
Toddler Art
Focus more on the process than on giving
them a specific craft to complete

1 Dot Stickers/Markers
Toddlers love dot stickers and markers, and there is no shortage of free printables
es you can grab online to print out at home.

2 Finger Painting
A messy option, but so great for a full sensory experience.

3 Ice Painting
Toss some ice cubes in a tub and let them paint the cubes with water color paint and
brushes.

4 Chalk
Grab some dustless chalk and a mini-chalkboard or easle, or head outside with
some old fashioned sidewalk chalk.
Sensory Play
A great way to calm kids down and let them
engage in their senses more fully.

1 Sensory Bins
Fill a tub or large container with a filler like rice, black beans, or dry corn, some
scoops, funnels, tongs, and seasonal props or manipulatives (like small trucks or
animal figurines) and let your kid dig around.

2 PlayDough
Set up a simple invitation by providing rolling pins, stamps, cutting options, and
small manipulatives (like gem stones, figurines, or muffin tins).

3 Toy Washing Station

Toss some not so clean toys (like cars, animal figurines, or characters) onto a towel,
fill a bowl with warm, soapy water, and hand over some brushes or sponges. You
can do this in the bathtub if you’re really concerned about mess.

4 Water Table
Keep an eye out on facebook market for a cheap water table, or head over to
WalMart and grab one! You can even use it in a mudroom with snow during the
winter.
FOUR
CHAPTER FOUR
INDOOR GROSS
MOTOR PLAY
For high-energy kiddos
Gross Motor
Play
A great way to help your kiddo burn some
energy without leaving the house

1 PlayCouch/Couch Cushions
Perfect for building, climbing, carrying, sliding, tumbling, jumping, and crashing onto.

2 Floor is Lava
Set up some stepping stones, a balance beam, a wobble board, or just some pillows
and make sure you kid avoids the floor at all costs.

3 Climbers
For toddlers, having something like a Pikler triangle or climbing dome can be an
amazing way to burn a ton of energy.

4 Floor Roads
Draw some roads on your floors with painters tape and have your kiddo push their
vehicles all over the place.
 FIVE
CHAPTER FIVE

HELPING AT HOME
Because there’s never any shortage of things
to get done.
Helping at
Home
A great way to get some things done without
having to turn on the tv.

1 Help Cook
Whether you need to bake a batch of cupcakes for a birthday party, putting a waffle
in the toaster, or just get dinner on the table, let your kids help.

2 Laundry
Kids can help sort and match socks, fold clothes, get laundry moved from the
washer to the dryer, or hang up clothes.

3 Cleaning
There’s never, ever any shortage of things to clean, and kids can certainly help out.
Depending on their age, they can help dust, vacuum, wipe down counters and
mirrors, wash windows, etc.
 SIX
CHAPTER SIX

IDEAS FOR OLDER

KIDS
Because they seem to get overlooked often
Play ideas for
older kids
If your kid is 10+ years old, they can still
engage in play. It just might look different.

1 Building
Older kids are often great at building more sophisticated structures and landscapes
with things like unit blocks, magnatiles, and legos.

2 Reading
The classic boredom buster. Encouraging independent reading has so many
benefits as kids get older.

3 Sports
Again, whether this is on an organized team or just hitting a baseball in the
backyard, getting physically active is a great way to reduce/limit screen time.

4 Board Games & Puzzles

A great way to engage their problem-solving skills.
 MORE SCREEN FREE HELP
These options are such a great way to start limiting or reducing screen
time in your home. I know it can feel so overwhelming to navigate the
ever changing landscape of technology and screens when it comes to
our kids.

And this is exactly why I am working on a comprehensive course to

share all the strategies and tips that have helped my family (and so
many others) take a mindful approach to screens, without adding
more to our plates as parents.

Childhood Unplugged covers everything from how much screen time

is ideal to strategies for cutting back (if you need to) all the way to how
in the world do you navigate social media with teenagers.

Take a look below to see what other parents are saying!

CHILDHOOD UNPLUGGED
CHILDHOOD UNPLUGGED
TESTIMONIALS

CHILDHOOD UNPLUGGED
 CHILDHOOD UNPLUGGED
DETAILS
What You’ll Get
The Childhood Unplugged Course covers EVERYTHING you need to know about how to
naturally limit screen-time in a way that works for you. In the course, you’ll learn:

The Truth About Screens & Technology: I'm not talking about fear-mongering, but
evidence-backed research that dives into how excessive scree-time is impacting our
children's development - and what we can do about it.
Simple Strategies for Keeping Screen-Time Low: Practical, low-stress ways to reduce and
limit screen-time (if you need to), and lots of tips for keeping screen-time at an ideal level.
Play-Based Solutions: Age-specific tips for creating engaging, screen-free play
experiences for kids from birth to the teen years (without requiring you to spend hours
setting up endless activities).
Mindset & Boundaries: How to set & maintain healthy boundaries around screen-time
and respond to resistance respectfully.
Long-Term Success: Tools for maintaining a balanced approach to technology as your
kids grow & develop.
True Digital Literacy: Age-appropriate strategies for introducing technology, and lots of
tips for teaching your kids how to engage with the digital world safely & responsibly.

Who the Course is For

This course is for you if:

You want to see your kids spend more time playing than watching tv
You don't want to feel like screens are the only way to keep your kids entertained
You want to be able to get things done around the house, without relying on excessive
screen time
You want to feel confident that your kids are growing up with real-life childhood
experiences they deserve
You want to raise children who truly have digital literacy, and know how to utilize
technology safely and responsibly

Ready to see your kids enjoy an honest chilldhood? Grab your copy of the
Childhood Unplugged Course HERE!

CHILDHOOD UNPLUGGED