How to Entertain Your Kids during Holidays without Using Screen Time

During the past couple of years, it has been difficult to find ways to entertain kids during the holidays because of the multiple pandemic constraints in place. However, this year, life has returned to normal, which means we can spend more time with our loved ones.

Almost all parents have started considering activities to entertain kids during the holidays and utilizing this time for something productive. While balancing children’s screen time is an ongoing battle during regular days, the Christmas season is a fantastic time for spending holidays without screen time. Some things you do could even become a yearly family ritual or, at the very least, bring back fond memories of Christmas.

While we love technology and would not want to be without it, too much of a good thing may ruin family time, especially over the holidays. Here are ten unique suggestions to explore for limiting screen time for your children and keeping things cheery and bright over the holiday season:

1. Christmas Crafts: Christmas is an excellent time of year for entertaining kids with crafts, from crafting paper wreaths to creating lanterns. Why not give the kids delivery boxes as a source of creativity, such as making a treasure trove out of egg cartons? There are also some other fantastic ideas for a Christmas project. You can buy pre-made craft packets or browse online for inspiration – particularly if you’re getting the “I’m bored” and want to pick something immediately! It’s sure to keep your child busy.

2. Parlour Games: These traditional games, like charades or seek the thimble, include the entire family. Standing up and sitting down is a fun substitute. Each participant is assigned a word from poetry, tale, or song. They must rise, turn around, and sit down when they hear their word. One person reads the narrative, the poetry, or the song. Each participant may be assigned one of the terms from horse, rock, sleigh, or bell, for instance, if the song is Jingle Bell Rock. It may sound a bit tough, but it is enjoyable.

3. Scavenger Hunt: This is a terrific method to get young children outside and away from their gadgets. Make a list of particular objects for each child to find, such as four graduated-size pebbles, a feather, and a banksia cone. If you’d like, you may give each item a point value, with extra points awarded for unique items. This game makes spending holidays without screen time a lot more fun.

4. Start a Sibling Secret Santa: You can give each kid a name to choose out of a hat. They will make a Christmas gift for someone, but they must keep their identity a secret. It’s fantastic if you’d instead that they purchase a present for their sibling although it’s not required. Dollar Tree is a terrific, affordable alternative for kids if that seems like fun. If you’re like us and have a sizable tribe of kids, you might choose the handmade, homemade method. Cards, hand-drawn drawings, and crafts are all thoughtful presents. Give the youngsters as much freedom as possible to think, design, wrap, and take the initiative. Get ready to have a heart attack.

5. Have a Cooking Competition: Why not allow your children to enjoy themselves while picking up vital cooking skills? Hold a Masterchef-style culinary contest to determine who can provide the tastiest treat or the healthiest supper. Entertaining children with cooking can influence their dietary habits, preparing meals, freedom, and collaboration abilities in the long run. For the most enjoyment from this indoor pastime, cook with children of different ages to make it fun.

6. Hold a Fashion/Talent Show

Throw a fashion show or talent contest with a Christmas theme to leverage the excitement and festive mood in the air. See whatever persona your kid can come up with by dressing up in anything around the home (clothes, bedspreads, etc.). You may even have a family gathering to watch and partake in the final performance.

7. Make Your Gift Cards/Tags/Presents

Getting your kids to make gift cards, gift wrap, or gift tags may elevate a gift to a new level of sentimentality, especially given how different Christmas is this year and how many families are still unable to come together. When spending holidays without screen time, you must ensure you have all the tools for such tasks.

These can also be terrific suggestions for friends or relatives who might feel a little more alone this year due to their inability to socialize. Even letting someone know you are thinking of them can profoundly impact them.

8. Stage a Play

This one is a lot of fun for kids. They can pick a scenario they like from a book or movie and perform it. They’ll have a great time creating costumes and scripts and acting for the rest of the family.

And this doesn’t just have to be for the kids, the whole family can partake in this fun game and be a part of it with the children. This can become a yearly activity because it’s unique; not many families do it anymore.

9. Fruit Picking

Entertaining kids with a fruit harvesting expedition this winter when it’s cold is a unique activity that will bring you closer to each other.

Children will learn about how some fruits develop while engaging in physical activity outside, and everyone will enjoy a tasty snack after the day.

10. Storytime

Reading is a great activity to engage with your kids during the holidays. In addition to helping children develop their imagination and focus, it will benefit them once the holidays end.

Allowing your child to observe you reading is one of the best ways to inspire them to like it. How frequently do you pick up a book and read a few chapters in your free time during the winter? It’s either checking our phones or watching TV. Kids imitate what they observe.

The Takeaway!

There are so many enjoyable activities that you can do without a screen, but like with anything in life, moderation is vital.

Allowing kids to watch television or play electronic games during the holidays is acceptable. Still, entertaining kids by combining that with energetic, imaginative, and creative play will provide your child with a wide range of well-rounded interests.