Screen Free Activities: 25 Ideas + A Simple 7-Day Plan (Low-Prep, Real-Life Friendly)

December 7, 2025

Screen free activities work best when they are easy to start, easy to repeat, and matched to your time and energy.
This guide gives you 25 practical ideas (no-prep to creative projects) plus a simple 7-day plan you can follow right away.
You will also get scripts for common pushback, plus low-cost supply paths if you want to build a screen-free “activity shelf”.

DIY Kits Puzzles & Games Colouring Books

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Screen Free Activities That Stick: Pick Your Constraints First

If you search “screen free activities,” you will find endless lists. The problem is not ideas, it is starting when you are tired, busy, or everyone is cranky. So we begin with constraints, then pick activities that fit.

Step 1: Choose your time box. Pick one of these and make it your default:

5 minutes (a quick reset between tasks)
15 to 30 minutes (after school or after dinner)
60 minutes (a weekend block, a family night, or a solo hobby session)

Step 2: Choose your energy level. When energy is low, pick “quiet hands” activities. When energy is high, pick “move first, then focus” activities (you will see both below).

Step 3: Decide what counts as screen-free. Keep it simple: no phones, tablets, TV, or scrolling. Music or an audiobook can be optional if it helps the room stay calm.

Step 4: Make starting frictionless. Put one small basket in a visible place. Fill it with 3 to 5 “always works” options, then stop there. If you want a ready-made starting point, browse Kid’s crafts and screen-free activities or choose one self-contained project from DIY kits.

Quick script (use it exactly): “We are doing 20 minutes screen-free. You can pick one thing from the list. I will help you start, then I’ll be nearby.”

Shop the Collection

25 Screen Free Activities, Sorted by Time, Energy, and Age

Use this like a menu. Pick one activity that matches the time you have, then pick a “make it easier” option if you need it.

5-minute screen free activities (no prep)

Two-minute start + choose: set a 2-minute timer, begin any task, then decide if you keep going.
Micro-doodle challenge: draw 10 tiny icons (star, leaf, mug, shoe) on scrap paper.
One-page tidy: pick one surface, clear it together, stop when the timer ends.
Question jar: ask one “today” question: “What was the funniest moment today?”
Stretch and sketch: 5 slow stretches, then a 60-second sketch of something nearby.

15 to 30 minutes (low-prep, high success)

Colouring break: one page, one timer. Link-friendly option: colouring books.
Puzzle sprint: do “edge pieces only” or “sort by colour,” then stop. Browse puzzles and games.
Read-aloud or silent reading: 10 pages, or one chapter. Browse books.
Journal prompt (2 lines minimum): “Today I noticed…” or “Right now I feel…” Try lined journals or grid and dot journals.
Letter or postcard: write a note to someone, even if you do not mail it. Use notebooks as a simple “letter book.”
Mini art project: pick one from Fine Writing Mini Projects.
Paper craft: fold, cut, tape, build. Keep it “one idea, one outcome.”
Solo game or family game: one round only, stop while it is still fun.

60+ minutes (weekend blocks and hobby builders)

DIY kit day: open one project and commit to the first 15 minutes only. Start here: DIY kits.
Family game night: snack, one game, one short debrief (“best moment, hardest moment”).
Art skill session: pick a single skill (lines, shading, lettering) and repeat it. Helpful companion: Pen Guide.
Printmaking starter session: if you want a deeper craft, use Relief Printing Supplies to plan a minimal setup.

Starter checklist (build your screen-free basket once):

One timer (phone off, timer only, or a kitchen timer)
Paper, a notebook, or a journal
One “easy win” activity (colouring page, puzzle, or a small kit)
A container to keep everything together
A short list of 5 go-to choices (write it and keep it in the basket)

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A Simple 7-Day Screen-Free Plan You Can Start Tonight

This is designed to reduce decision fatigue. Repeat it weekly, swap activities as needed, and keep the time box small enough to win.

Day 1 (Tonight): 20 minutes, “quiet hands.” Choose colouring, journaling, or reading. Keep it simple and finish early.
Day 2: 20 minutes, puzzle sprint. Sort first, then build. Stop after one timer.
Day 3: 25 minutes, make something. Open one project from Kid’s crafts and do only step one.
Day 4: 15 minutes, write something short. Use a prompt and stop at two lines.
Day 5: 30 minutes, game night (one round). Choose a game or puzzle from Puzzles & Games.
Day 6: 45 minutes, project block. Pick one option from DIY kits and aim for progress, not perfection.
Day 7: 20 minutes, reset and plan. Refill your basket, write next week’s 5 go-to choices, and pick one “family block” for the weekend.

Make it easier (choose at least one each day):

Lower the start: “Just 2 minutes,” then continue only if it feels good.
Keep the kit visible: if it is in a drawer, it does not exist.
Offer two choices, not ten: “colouring or puzzle?” is better than an open-ended question.
Use a “done list”: take a photo of finished work (later), or write one line: “I did screen-free time today.”
Stop while it is still fun: ending on a high note increases repeatability.

If you want structure without extra planning, you can browse Classes & Workshops or check the Events Calendar for upcoming options.

Troubleshooting, Scripts, and References

If someone says “I’m bored”: boredom is the bridge. Use this script: “Bored is okay. Pick one tiny start. Two minutes, then you can switch.” Then point to the basket and set a timer.

If the room gets chaotic: do 3 minutes of movement first (march in place, stair laps, quick clean-up race), then return to a quiet-hands activity.

If teens refuse: make it adult-friendly. Suggest one of these: puzzle sprint, journaling with music, reading, or a skill-based project. Give privacy and a clear end time.

If you miss a day: do not “make up” time. Restart with the smallest version (5 minutes). Consistency matters more than intensity.

Optional next step: If you are local, Art Noise is a Kingston-based shop with supplies and in-person options, see About Art Noise and the Events Calendar for details.