5 free, easy alternatives to screens for tired parents

When my children were born, I walked away from my career. It wasn’t the easiest walk I’ve ever taken, but pivoting my life to focus on the children was one of the best choices I’ve ever made, and I’d do it again in a heartbeat. What was a great decision for me might not be the right one for you.

As I write about screen time, I know emotions run high. Love and respect are at the core of our human journey, and we are all walking different paths. With that in mind, here are some easy alternatives to screens for tired parents.

1. Don’t overthink it – go outside!

Get out to the park or into the garden and engage with whatever is happening. A walk – even a mooch down the street – is, for a child, filled with things to see. Is it seed-planting time? Can you spot things growing, things dying, harvest time?

If you have a small patch of grass, take some paper and try mark-making with grass, or dig for worms and make a grass collage. If not, can you walk to some nature – a canal path or a thicket? When you’re outside, get your hands on and in nature: collect sticks, feathers, rocks or snails, taking care not to disturb nesting creatures and tiny habitats.

It doesn’t cost anything, and research has found that around 20 minutes in nature helps reduce stress (Hunter, Gillespie and Chen, Frontiers in Psychology, 2019). Children adore outdoor space, freedom and time to investigate, so let them have an adventure. If you have a local woodland or nature reserve, pack some sandwiches and eat out in a den!

2. Live seasonally

This might sound like a leap from screen-free play, but stay with me. Sometimes we use screens because it’s easy – we don’t have to think about it. Life can be that easy too if you follow the seasons and festivals through the year, because the seasons prompt craft ideas every month.

If you’re celebrating Michaelmas (St Michael and the Dragon) in September, you can reflect on the qualities of that festival and also enjoy busy craft times: making dragon window pictures, baking dragon bread, painting in reds and yellows or making conker dragons. The rhythm of festivals soaks into free time and gives children an easy structure to understand and live into.

3. Create a rainy-day box

Honestly, this is my go-to hack, and it saved my too-tired-to-think days countless times. Collect some craft materials, a new book and a kit (think build-a-paper-rocket or a sewing kit) into a box. We also added a few toys from the charity shop and some new stamps.

Call it the “rainy-day box” (we still have one at home). When the children are bored, or you’re too tired to start a seasonal craft from scratch, they can raid the box instead of reaching for a screen and discover entertainment all pre-sorted. The key is not to let them have it all the time, or it won’t feel special.

4. Play with anything – and let your child lead

For me, learning and play have always been the same thing: the way children explore and grow in the world. Making a cake is definitely play, and it’s also rich in learning.

A couple of things we do regularly at home: I put a cookbook and a range of ingredients on the table and let the children bake their own cakes. (I have to leave the room or I interfere – but so far, a few years in, the results have usually been delicious!) The children also make presents for Christmas, birthdays and celebrations, often from wool or felt.

We still have building blocks and play bases even though mine are older. As children grow, don’t take away all the toys so that all they’re left with is a phone. Let them build dens out of the sofa and blankets, and give them as much independence as you can.

5. Cover the TV and put devices away

It sounds silly, but we pack away all the other toys and games – if we never pack away the TV or the phones, children can think they’re round-the-clock toys. Try a drawer for devices, or a cloth that covers the screen when it isn’t in use. It makes it simple for little ones to understand that this isn’t something we’re using right now.

Final thought

Love is the greatest priority. Love underpins respect and kindness, duty and service, self-care and self-respect. We cannot pour from empty cups – if you’re tired, rest, and don’t give up.

If you make a decision rooted in love, rest easy knowing that what you’ve chosen is OK, and respect that other people’s choices are different. Only you know yourself, your family and your children best. Don’t forget to have fun, laugh at yourself and never stop learning.

Looking for something to start with? Browse our free seasonal resources or our Busy Books – activity packs made for exactly these afternoons.