Screen-free activities kids actually enjoy (that help limit screen time)

The family’s out to dinner, and your two-year-old decides it’s the perfect time to throw a tantrum.

Fortunately, Mom carries a wealth of distractable toys in her capacious handbag. She reaches inside and retrieves Mr. Potato Head. (There’s also Silly Putty and a few Matchbox cars in there.) The youngster claps in delight and begins to assemble the plastic toy as the adults dig into their appetizer.

Fast forward to 2026, and things look a lot different.

Unfortunately, present-day Mom doesn’t have a pocketbook full of magical tame-the-tot surprises. What she does have is a phone.

She pulls up Cocomelon and hands over the electronic babysitter, knowing screen time will hold the toddler’s attention so she and her partner can enjoy their meal. They’re aware of screen addiction in kids—in fact, a national survey shows 54% of parents worry their kids are addicted to screens—but trying to limit screen time is becoming more and more challenging, since youngsters want to mimic their parents.

Modeling healthy screen-time behavior

Because kids mimic us (it’s how they learn), you can start by modeling some positive screen time behaviors. You’re no doubt familiar with the chestnut, “Do as I say, not as I do.” It’s far better to set an example, even if it means prying your fingers from the phone, digit by digit. You’ll benefit in the long run, too.

First, aim to avoid taking calls or texting while your child is trying to talk with you. It telegraphs that the screen is more important than they are. Instead, explain what you’re doing and why: “Mommy has to take this call from a client, and as soon as we’re done, I’ll put the phone down and we’ll continue eating breakfast.” This way, your child understands you’re not ignoring them in favor of the phone.

Second, set firm guidelines around where and when tech is allowed—and make sure this applies to the whole family. No devices during mealtimes is good, as is no devices in the bedroom overnight. Everybody will sleep better. If you need an alarm to wake, invest in a cute alarm clock. They won’t emit blue light that affects your health, or ping notifications at all hours. Plus, no one will be tempted to play with the clock when they ought to be sleeping.

Screen-free communication tips for young kids

Children are overflowing with energy and often have a hard time sitting still and paying attention. Did you know excessive screen time could negatively affect children with ADHD, making it even more difficult for them to focus?

However, it is possible to create screen-free activities that keep kids engaged—and it begins with your lifestyle.

For instance: it’s well known that screen time before bed adversely affects sleep. Instead of a “blue light special” in the evening, turn it into family story hour, where everyone shares one memorable or exciting event from the day.

You can invent stories, too. If you enjoy weaving imaginative narratives, consider creating bedtime stories. Very young children love repetition and will clamor for you to repeat a story they like every night—and they’ll notice if you change a single word! Bedtime stories can become a cherished childhood tradition. Your child can participate in their co-creation, by sharing the type of characters they’d like to hear about in the tale.

Play in all its forms helps build better brains. Communication games that are age-appropriate, such as follow the leader, can help with coordination and attention as children grow.

And if everything you try just seems to make your little one unhappier, take a tip from one mom who was at wit’s end, and be a goof ball. Slapstick is a perennial comedic device. So, for example, if you accidentally drop the soap and your toddler shrieks in delight, do it again on purpose. Even the best video can’t hold a candle to a parent’s fumbles.

How to reduce screen time for older children

The older kids get, the more challenging it can be to keep them away from the hypnotic lure of the screen. How much is too much screen time? According to the Mayo Clinic, two hours per day ought to be the maximum for older kids and adults, but the reality is shocking: even ten year olds are online up to six hours a day!

Yet this isn’t kids’ first choice. In a Harris Poll, 500 children ages 8-12 were asked how they preferred to spend time with friends: in free play, in organized play (such as soccer or karate), or in online games. Only 25 percent chose screen time. So it’s not that kids need to be persuaded to engage in screen-free activities. Screen time has become more of a safety fallback.

Kids want the freedom and innocence of a 20th century childhood. Although screen time isn’t inherently safe, it’s the current alternative when no adult is available to play with or watch them.

This means that one of the best methods for reducing screen time is creating community within your neighborhood. Can you and a few other local families plan to share supervision for afterschool activities? Together, you can provide parental oversight as older kids explore:

• Nature walks (perhaps gathering pine cones, twigs, acorns or other forest finds for a later art project)
• A trip to the skate park or trampoline park
• Making music. If there are guitars, pianos, drums or other instruments among neighborhood homes, you might have the makings of a community band, or a singing group.
• Baking a dessert treat for each family
• Playing Frisbee or catch
• Learning something new, like yoga or origami

Back to the Future: The no-screen solution

Now you’ve got a firm handle on ways to reduce screen time in favor of healthier, fun activities kids enjoy. Yet the telephone has been a fixture at home for a century, and phone communication is vital for kids today. If you’d like to allow your kids a phone but eliminate the screen, one screen-free solution is MyPhone, the modern landline created with kids in mind.

Since many kids love retro, and surveys show they’d prefer to play outside with actual friends rather than digital ones, MyPhone offers simple, screen-free calling that allows kids to chat on a party line with friends or family, plus listen to treasured voicemail messages again and again. If a number of neighborhood tweens or teens get MyPhones, they can get together on the party line to plan get togethers IRL.

For parents, MyPhone offers easy monitoring and unplugged screen-free “Quiet Hours” that allow the blocking of all calls for homework, playtime, and bedtime. By combining specific Trusted Circle contacts, scheduled usage, emergency support, and activity monitoring, MyPhone for kids creates a safe telephone communication environment for children.

Once upon the 1900s, “screen time” might have referred to sitting on a screened-in porch, safe from mosquitos, sipping lemonade and watching the sunset. With a renewed focus on screen-free family activities, it’s possible to enjoy such moments again.