How to Enjoy a Screen-Free Week

It is safe to assume that most families have found screens the best invention ever through this last turbulent year in the throes of the Covid-19 pandemic. Parents have had to home-school on screens, work on screens all while allowing children to have increased TV or tablet time to get time to do anything at all. Some countries have declared a week in May each year as an international Screen-Free week. So how do families go from needing lots of screen-time to none at all?

Make a schedule for the week that fits with your life

Start by getting the family together and have a chat about all the things you can do through the week ahead, making sure not to refer too much to the lack of screens. Build a schedule for the week that works for you all and make it exciting and fun. Take into consideration the time the adults will be busy working or doing everyday housework or cooking and encourage the kids to decide what they can do in that time.

Ideas for activities on Screen-Free week:

Schedule a family game night
Pack a small picnic
Eat breakfast, lunch, or dinner outside
Find some space and work on a family puzzle for the week
Perform or read a play together sharing parts
Have your child write a play and act it out
Take turns reading a book out loud
Play 20 Questions
Have an egg and spoon race
Play any board games you have in the house
Challenge each other to draw certain things
Roll down a hill
Go for a hike
Paint outside
Make sock puppets and have a puppet show
Make a rocket or boat from a large cardboard box
Set up a tent and camp for a night or two in the living room or out in the garden if it's warm enough
Do some baking
Make some new recipes
Paint some rocks with lovely pictures or messages
Go for a walk to leave the rocks around for others to find

Remember that boredom is good for children!

If your children feel bored or think they will be bored, boredom breeds creativity and helps a child develop problem-solving skills. Left to their own devices, they will soon figure out a way to curb their boredom.