5 Activities to Keep Kids Entertained Away From Screens

Technology is taking a very big part of our lives nowadays, but it is not just us, it is our kids too. While parents get busy most of the time, they want to find ways to keep their kids entertained in their free time. However, the biggest challenge they face is screen time. Many parents are able to control the screen time of their kids, yet others struggle with the tantrums their kids through once they take the mobile or iPad away from them. 

 

First things first, why is uncontrolled screen time bad for your kids?

 

• It makes it harder for them to sleep at night.

• It increases the risk of attention problems.

• It weakens their communication and social skills.

• It puts kids at risk of weight gain.

 

Here are 5 interesting activities to keep them entertained away from screen time.

1.  Arts & Painting. Drawing, coloring, and painting boosts children’s imagination and introduces them to a world of sensory art where they get to experience textures and shapes. Give them their favorite paint colors and some DIY ideas where they get to spend time mixing colors, creating shapes, and adding materials to create their own artistic piece.

 

2. Gardening. Encouraging the kids to do more outdoor activities is one of the best things they can do especially when the weather is nice. It is important for kids to be connected to nature, it is very healthy for them. You can create smaller models at home where you teach them how to grow a home plant or how to water it. They will also like the sense of responsibility of having to take care of another sentient being and watch it grow.

 

3. Design a treasure hunt. We don’t need to tell you how much kids get excited when on a mission of solving a riddle or following clues to discovery. This game can keep them busy for hours. Hide something and spread clues around the house to solve it and find the object. This game teaches kids to be resilient, persistent and improves their mental skills.

 

4. Give them creative toys. Legos and puzzles are the type of toys your kids need to play with instead of smartphone games. Legos and puzzles boost your child’s mental abilities and problem-solving skills. They also help with their reasoning skills.

 

5. Try science experiments. It doesn’t have to be complicated experiments. For starters, give them a magnet and let them try it on different objects to see what materials it sticks to. Also, you can give them a bowl of water where they drop different objects to see what sinks and what floats and explain it to them.