Table of Contents

• Why Screen Free Activities Matter for Kids (And How to Start)
  • What Changes When the Screens Go Off
• Screen-Free Activities for Toddlers: Simple Ideas for Little Hands
• Indoor Activities for Kids: Rainy Day and After-School Ideas
• Christmas Activities for Kids: Festive Fun Without a Screen
  • The Kindness Advent Calendar: The Best Advent Calendar for Kids
• Kindness Activities for Kids: Building Confidence Through Giving
• How to Make Screen Free Activities Stick (Without a Fight)
• Frequently Asked Questions

Last Updated: October 6, 2026

Why Screen Free Activities Matter for Kids (And How to Start)

Screen free activities for kids are the moments when children build, move, create and connect without a device in front of them. At Sharing Kindness, we have watched families rediscover how much children enjoy those moments once the screens go off. The trick is having a plan ready before boredom sets in.

Most parents we speak to do not want to ban screens completely. They want balance, and they want ideas that do not require a trip to the shops or an hour of setup. That is what this list is for. Below, we share 25 screen free activities for kids, sorted by age and situation, plus the one routine change that makes them stick.

What Changes When the Screens Go Off

The first ten minutes are the hardest. Children often complain that they are bored, then within a short time they are deep in play, negotiation and imagination. Many parents tell us the same thing: the whinging lasts minutes, the play lasts hours.

A common mistake is announcing "no screens today" with nothing to replace them. That sets everyone up to fail. Swap the screens for a specific activity instead. "Screens off, let's build the biggest cushion fort in the house" lands far better than a vague rule.

Screen-Free Activities for Toddlers: Simple Ideas for Little Hands

Screen-free activities for toddlers work best when they are messy, sensory and short. Little ones rarely last more than ten minutes on one task, so offer a few options in a row rather than one long activity. Rotating through these quick bursts of play helps maintain engagement, and you can explore more screen free activities to keep your toddler occupied throughout the year.

Try these with children aged two to four:

• Sensory bins filled with dry pasta, scoops and cups
• Finger painting on a large sheet of butcher's paper
• Stacking and knocking down soft blocks
• Water play with jugs and sponges in the bath or outside
• Simple threading with large beads or pasta on string
• Singing songs with hand actions

The benefit goes beyond entertainment. Sensory play supports fine motor skills, language and emotional regulation, and it gives toddlers a safe way to explore textures and cause and effect. Keep a towel nearby and lower your expectations about mess. A little chaos is part of the job.

Indoor Activities for Kids: Rainy Day and After-School Ideas

Indoor activities for kids need to work on two fronts: rainy days when energy is high and the garden is out, and the after-school window when everyone is tired and hungry. Have a short list ready for each.

For rainy days, try:

• Cushion forts and blanket caves
• Board games and card games
• Drawing challenges, such as "draw your dream house"
• Baking something simple together
• Indoor obstacle courses using cushions and tape
• Puppet shows behind the sofa

For the after-school slump, keep it low effort:

• Audiobooks while building with blocks
• Puzzles at the kitchen table
• Playdough or clay
• A family gratitude round at dinner

The after-school window is where screens creep in most, because parents are cooking and children are restless. A simple routine helps. Ten minutes of connection first, then a quiet activity while you cook, works better than a screen handover you later regret.

Positive Mindset Game →

Christmas Activities for Kids: Festive Fun Without a Screen

Christmas activities for kids are the easiest sell of the year, because the season itself does the entertaining. The lead-up to Christmas is full of small rituals children love, and most of them do not involve a screen at all.

Ideas that work well in December:

• Baking and decorating biscuits
• Making paper chains and homemade decorations
• Writing cards for neighbours and teachers
• Driving around to see the Christmas lights
• Reading a festive story each night
• Carol singing at home or in the local area

The festive season also brings a familiar problem. Children receive a mountain of chocolate and plastic tat, and much of it is forgotten by Boxing Day. Many families are looking for something with a bit more meaning. That is where our kindness advent calendar comes in.

The Kindness Advent Calendar: The Best Advent Calendar for Kids

The best advent calendar for kids is one that gives a child something to do rather than something to eat. Our Kindness Advent Calendar replaces the daily chocolate with a daily act of kindness, so each December morning becomes a small moment of connection instead of a sugar rush.

Each day, a child opens a door and finds a simple kindness task to carry out. The tasks are small enough for young children to manage and meaningful enough that older kids do not roll their eyes. It suits the Christmas season particularly well, because it turns the countdown to Christmas into a countdown of giving.

It has been featured on TODAY in the US and Australia and on Studio 10, and it is the product we get the most messages about each year. If you are tired of the chocolate calendar that disappears by 9am, this is the swap worth making.

Raising Children Network on screen time and child development

Kindness Activities for Kids: Building Confidence Through Giving

Kindness activities for kids do more than make the world nicer. They give children a sense of capability. When a child sees that their small action made someone smile, that is evidence they can affect the world around them, which is the foundation of confidence.

Simple kindness activities to try:

• Writing a thank-you note to a teacher or neighbour
• Baking for someone who is having a hard week
• Picking up litter on your street
• Donating toys to a local charity
• Leaving a kind note in a library book
• Making a card for a grandparent

For families who want a structured way to build the habit, our 30-Day Kindness Challenge and Kindness Bucket List Kit give children a visible record of their kind acts. Our Box of Confidence affirmation cards go a step further, helping children build the language to be kind to themselves as well as others. The two work well side by side: kindness outward, kindness inward.

How to Make Screen Free Activities Stick (Without a Fight)

Screen free activities stick when they are a routine, not a punishment. If screens are removed as a consequence, children learn to see screen free time as a negative. If screen free time is simply part of the day, it becomes normal.

Positive Mindset Game →

Here is what works in practice:

Problem	What to try	Why it helps
"I'm bored" within minutes	Offer two specific choices	Removes the open-ended decision
Whinging when screens go off	Give a five-minute warning	Eases the transition
You run out of ideas	Keep a boredom jar or list	Removes the mental load
Older kids resist	Let them choose the activity	Gives them ownership
It fizzles after a week	Anchor it to a daily routine	Builds the habit

Three habits make the biggest difference. First, keep activities visible, so children can see what is available. Second, join in for the first few minutes, because children engage longer when an adult starts with them. Third, protect one screen free block each day, even a short one, and treat it as non-negotiable.

For families who want something that carries the habit through the whole year, our family game and affirmation cards are designed for exactly this. They turn conversations about feelings, gratitude and kindness into something children ask for rather than resist.

Australian Government health guidelines on physical activity and screen time for children

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The hardest part of screen free time is not the idea, it is having something ready when the moment arrives. Sharing Kindness exists to make that easier, with a kindness advent calendar that turns December into a daily act of giving, affirmation cards that help children speak kindly to themselves, and a family game that opens up conversations about gratitude and feelings. If you want a Christmas countdown with meaning, or tools that build confidence all year, we would love to help. Add to basket and start your first kind act today.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are some screen free activities for kids at Christmas?

Christmas is full of screen-free opportunities: baking biscuits, making homemade decorations, writing cards for neighbours, carol singing, and counting down with a kindness advent calendar. A kindness advent calendar gives kids one small act of kindness to do each day, which keeps them busy and builds good habits. Other easy options include festive treasure hunts around the house, making wrapping paper from brown paper and stamps, and reading Christmas stories together by the tree.

How can I keep children entertained without screens during the holidays?

Plan a loose routine rather than a packed schedule. Rotate between active play (den building, obstacle courses), quiet play (puzzles, drawing, audio stories), and helping tasks (baking, setting the table). Keep a basket of screen-free activities ready so kids can choose without asking you. Christmas activities for kids work especially well because they feel like an event rather than a chore. A printable kindness challenge can also give older kids a daily focus.

What can kids do indoors without a screen?

Indoor activities for kids include building forts from cushions, board games, card games, cooking simple recipes, craft projects, puzzles, and storytelling. You can also set up a reading nook, create a kindness corner with a bucket list, or play indoor treasure hunts. The key is having materials accessible. Keep craft supplies, cards, and games in one spot so kids can start without needing you to set everything up.

What are easy screen-free activities for toddlers and young children?

For toddlers, choose simple, sensory activities: playdough, water play, stacking blocks, picture books, singing songs, and simple sorting games. Screen-free activities for toddlers work best when they are short and hands-on. Try a kindness activity like putting a toy away for a sibling or giving a flower to a neighbour. Toddlers also love helping with real tasks, such as stirring batter or wiping a table, so involve them in daily jobs rather than creating separate entertainment.

How can children practise kindness at Christmas?

Christmas is a natural time for kindness activities for kids. Try a kindness advent calendar with one small act per day, such as making a card for a grandparent, donating a toy, or baking for a neighbour. You can also use a printable kindness bucket list to track acts together. These small habits build empathy and confidence, and they give kids a sense of purpose beyond receiving gifts.