May 1st through 7th is Screen-free Week! Why not encourage your child to enjoy a few days with no TV, computer or tablet? This blog has discussed technology in children’s lives before, so you may want to check it out for some background.
Whether you’re taking a week off or just looking for some fun activities, hopefully you’ll find a few ideas here.
Little worlds
Fill a shallow tub with water or sand, props, toy animals or vehicles. Young children will love getting imaginative and helping to put it all together, then playing with it. Possible additions include glass beads, rocks, shaving cream foam and bubbles.
Photo by: Nevit
Slime!
There are many recipes out there for different types of slime and goop, using ingredients you may already have in your house. Here is one recipe from 150+ Screen-Free Activities for Kids by Asia Citro. You can scale the recipe up or down if you want more or less. Pour eight ounces of Elmer’s Washable School Glue into a metal or glass container. Add a few drops of food coloring if desired and stir. Slowly pour in a bottle of liquid starch, stirring as you go. When the slime stops sticking to the container, you have added enough. Knead the slime by hand for about five minutes to finish mixing. It will keep for a while if you store it in a sealed container or bag.
Make your own puppet theater
Set up a simple theater by hanging a sheet or felt across a doorway (attach it using nails or tacks). Make sure it’s not too high for your child to reach over. Now they can put on a puppet show! You can even get creative together and make puppets using leftover felt, old socks, etc. Add some yarn, googly eyes, buttons or whatever else you can think of. Your child will enjoy designing and creating the puppets as well making up a show for family or friends.
Make your own paints
This is another recipe from 150+ Screen-Free Activities for Kids, sure to provide your child with some messy, artistic fun. In a paint tray, muffin tin or similar container, combine one tablespoon of aloe vera gel with food coloring. Use more or less to achieve lighter or darker shades, and make as many colors as you like. Now give your child some paper and let them go wild using fingers, brushes, sponges or whatever tickles your fancy.
There are lots more ways to have fun without a screen. You can also visit your library to discover fun programs for all ages.
Megan is a Children’s Library Assistant at CLP – East Liberty. When she isn’t reading fantasy, magical realism and/or pretty much any children’s book, she enjoys gaming, watching movies and writing fiction, some of which has been published.