When was the last time you went a full day without checking your cell phone? Can you remember? The more we rely on technology, the more we come to see how it is both a blessing and a curse. Never in the history of the world has information been so readily accessible or convenient. But while we are more connected to the world, we are becoming less connected to the people closest to us.
Today, we have become overly attached to technology, and our families are suffering for it. Not only is too much screen time detrimental to family attachment, it has been found to negatively affect the speech and language development of younger children. According to the Huffington Post, “Technology is becoming a kind of ‘co-parent;’ too much screen time is impeding childhood development, and parents’ obsession with their devices is harming communication with their children and even fracturing families.”
At New Beginnings, we want to see healthy, thriving families. We know that our relationships with our children and our marriages need interpersonal face-to-face connections to thrive. Families don’t thrive when every member is enveloped in a cocoon of technology. To help you break free from that cocoon, we’ve compiled a list of 70 activities your family can do that do not require a screen. We hope you can find something that inspires you to put down your phones and tablets, step away from your TV, and tune into your family.
- Plant a garden
- Volunteer for a cause
- Read a book
- Make up a silly song
- Ride bikes
- Go swimming
- Catch bugs
- Play hopscotch
- Organize a family game night
- Play hide-and-seek
- Cook something yummy together
- Use sidewalk chalk
- Play a game of baseball
- Do a science experiment
- Build an indoor fort
- Play charades
- Take the dog for a walk
- Jump on a trampoline
- Go to a park
- Play a board game
- Make you own play dough
- Learn something new
- Blow bubbles
- Go fishing
- Tell spooky stories
- Make s’mores
- Play I Spy
- Set up a lemonade stand
- Climb a tree
- Fly a kite
- Collect rocks and shells
- Paint those rocks and shells
- Have a water balloon fight
- Take a nature walk
- Make paper airplanes
- Play with Legos
- Go roller skating
- Make your own musical instruments
- Build a bird feeder
- Have a picnic
- Play capture the flag
- Visit a national park
- Make your own ice cream
- Learn to hula hoop
- Play checkers
- Play chess
- Go bird watching
- Have a tea party
- Learn how to whittle
- Run through the sprinklers
- Swing in a hammock
- Set up an obstacle course
- Make sock puppets
- Play dress up
- Put on a play
- Shoot some hoops
- Play red light, green light
- Go on a scavenger hunt
- Have a joke contest
- Chase lizards
- Make mud pies
- Splash in the puddles
- Go mud riding
- Tie-dye shirts
- Learn to juggle
- Write a story
- Complete a puzzle
- Go for a run
- Lay on your back in the grass
- Stargaze
