Screen Free Time with Your Kids

Time at home with younger kids require lots of activities. Rule of thumb is 1 hour of TV iPad iPhone Game time per day, but I find myself reaching for some sort of video distraction, while trying to get my child to eat, or as I do some cooking, cleaning, showering, etc.

If the weather permits, a trip to the park is always a great idea. Packing a soccer ball, a bike, or scooter, or other outdoor toys makes a trip to the park a good one.

At home, a section with construction paper and a pair of scissors (child-safe and blunt) is a great activity. Playdoh with all it's shapes and tools is another busy activity.

For rainy or wintry days, a game of indoor basketball, we use a beach ball which we throw into an empty hamper as an indoor-friendly version keeps the kids happy and active. Also, a blow-up punching bag, weighed down with sand is another energy buster. When in doubt, play some music and dance and jump around! That is always a mood buster.

You can also provide quiet time with books, Legos, and even sit down and do an impromptu reading. If you are spontaneous, the simple action of changing things up is always a trigger for FUN!

The main idea is to play with your children, sprinkle the day with active and quiet time, and hopefully by bedtime, they will be worn out from the days activities!