15 Fun Screen-Free Activities For Kids

How To Keep Kids Busy Without Screens

by Y.L. Cantrell

Photo by Adina Voicu

School is out for winter break.

You should be hearing the pitter-patter of little feet, but… silence.

Where are the kids?  Just follow the annoying sound effects and high-pitched
cartoonish melodies of video games echoing through the house.  They’re either
stretched out on the couch glued to the TV playing video games or developing
hunchbacks from leaning over their cell phones and tablets cruising social media, right?

You ask yourself, how can I lure the little munchkins away from their screens?

Well, I’ve got you covered!

Prepare to ignore the whining objections like “Aw why do we have to do it now?” and
“But I’m on level 6!” and get busy making fun happen!

Here’s a tip:  Invite their friends with whom they play online games, so they don’t feel like
they’re missing anything.  Not to mention, their parents will adore you for giving them a
break. And be sure to ask them to return the favor with a play date at their house next time.

Here we go!

15 Fun Screen-Free Activities For Kids

1. Time to dust off those board games!  Check out some top-rated games for families on
Amazon, including Say Anything and The Awkward Family Photos Movie Line Game.  
My niece and nephews forget all about their video games and social media when we
play their favorite games like Jumanji, Mousetrap, and Family Feud.

2. Go camping!  Pitch a tent in the living room in front of the fireplace or (weather
permitting) outside in the backyard. Toast marshmallows to make s'mores, sing campfire
songs, and tell spooky ghost stories. You can find reasonably priced indoor/outdoor tents
on Amazon.

3. Go on a scavenger hunt!  Make it holiday-themed by including items like a Christmas
stocking, tree ornaments, and a snow globe. Offer prizes along the way such as candy,
toys, free passes from chores, or a chance to open one Christmas gift.  Find free
printable colorful maps and lists of items online.

4. Recreate MasterChef Junior!  Head to the kitchen and pass out the aprons!  
Demonstrate a simple dish and recipe for your tiny master chefs to create within
an hour.  Or have them decorate cupcakes. Then, judge which one is the best,
awarding 1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc. prizes for everyone.  Keep it simple with pre-made cookie
dough, brownie mix, sandwiches, mini pizzas, mac & cheese, or tacos.  (Worried
about too many sweets or junk food? Secretly add pureed spinach to brownie mix
and pureed cauliflower to mac & cheese.  Don’t worry, they won’t be able to taste it.
You could even award a bonus prize to the kid who can guess which veggie was
added to the recipe.  Hint: wait until after they eat it.)

5. Do people still make ice cream from snow?  Well, they should! If snow is in the
forecast, set out a clean bucket to collect fresh snow.  All you need to add is vanilla
and condensed milk!

6. Make holiday arts and crafts.  The kids will love making their own wreaths to
hang on their bedroom door.  They can also make Christmas tree ornaments. These
make lovely mementos to keep throughout the years.  Bring out the markers and
glitter to make holiday greeting cards too!

7. Strike a pose for a fun photoshoot!  Use your imagination to come up with goofy
costumes and props to create photos.  Frame the best ones or stick them on greeting
cards and tree ornaments.

8. Time to make memories!  Break out the video camera and your director’s chair!  
Film a montage of the kids acting out their favorite movie scenes from classics like
Home Alone or A Christmas Story or create your own short play.  They could also
make a music video singing holiday songs.

9. Science!  Pick up a chemistry set or put together a homemade experiment.

10. Build a box fort!  Kids go wild for boxes!  Grab the biggest boxes you can find,
and I promise you, this will provide hours of fun for the little ones.  The older kids
can play the invading monsters or sword-wielding giants!

11. Need to get out of the house?  Plan a trip to your local children’s museum or zoo.  
They’re sure to have special exhibits and events for the holidays.  You could also give
back by donating old toys to a toy drive or by volunteering at your nearest family
homeless shelter.

12. Zumba!  Try to keep up with these kids!  Lay out those yoga mats and have fun
exercising together!

13. Make jewelry!  Bejeweled trinkets make great gifts for the kids to give to family
and friends.

14. Sing! Grab a mike and sing Karaoke style.

15. Nap time!  Just kidding! Or am I?

I hope I have provided some inspiration to help you create a fun winter break for you
and the kids in your life.  Let us know how it’s going! Please feel free to share your
ideas and photos. I’d love to see you in action!

Reader's Favorite Gives The Love Makers 4-Stars

Reader's Favorite Review of The Love Makers

I'm loving this review! Thank you, Reader's Favorite!

The following is what the reviewer wrote:

"Love Makers is about Vivionne Wayne, founder of The Love Makers Agency, a strange kind of matchmaking agency that operates on par with the CIA. Along with her best friend Boris, Vivi used tactics that some would call questionable to bring her clients the love they desire. The scare tactics they use to bring couples together are borderline unethical, using dangerous scenarios to draw them closer. But when some unknown enemy flips the script, Vivi and Boris are forced to face their own feelings for one another after decades of friendship and living under the same roof. Y.L. Cantrell creates a fast paced story of love, danger and psychos that reads like an action movie.

Love Makers is, above all else, a fun read. The characters of Vivi and Boris are well written and it is a joy to watch them evolve throughout the story. Then there is Luther who is a misogynist, a jerk and too many other things to name. You have to wonder how he and Boris have been friends for so long, but I think that is a testament to the skill of Y.L. Cantrell as a writer. What makes this such a compelling story, aside from the brazen methods of LMA, is that on every page there is always something happening. Whether it is the heightened drama between the couples or underlying tension between LMA employees, the lives of these characters are never boring. The anticipation continues to build until those final chapters when you will laugh hysterically, swoon or cheer Vivi’s 'take no prisoners' attitude. No matter how you respond, you will not be disappointed."

The breakdown of the overall 4-star rating:

4-Appearance: The appearance of a book can make a significant impact on the experience of a reader, whose enjoyment is often enhanced by an enticing cover, an intriguing table of contents, interesting chapter headings, and when possible, eye-catching illustrations.

4-Plot: The characters of a book should be well defined with strengths and flaws, and while they do not have to be likable, the reader does have to be able to form a connection with them. The tone should be consistent, the theme should be clear, and the plot should be original or told from a unique perspective. For informative books -- those without plot and characters--this rating refers primarily to your concept and how well you presented it.

5-Development: Development refers to how effectively you told your story or discussed your topic. The dialogue should be realistic, the descriptions should be vivid, and the material should be concise and coherent. Organization is also a key factor, especially for informative books -- those without plot and characters. The order in which you tell your story or explain your topic and how smoothly it flows can have a huge impact on the reader's understanding and enjoyment of the material.

3-Formatting: Formatting is the single most overlooked area by authors. The way in which you describe scenes, display dialogue, and shift point of view can make or break your story. In addition, excessive grammatical errors and typos can give your book an amateurish feel and even put off readers completely.

4-Marketability: Marketability refers to how effectively you wrote your book for your target audience. Authors may include content that is above or below the understanding of their target reader, or include concepts, opinions or language that can accidentally confuse or alienate some readers. Although by its nature this rating is very subjective, a very low rating here and poor reviews may indicate an issue with your book in this area.

4-Overall Opinion: The overall starred rating takes into account all these elements and describes the overall reading experience of your reviewer.

Digital Journal - The Love Makers

HOT OFF THE PRESS

Greetings!

As I slowly awaken from a long slumber, I am getting back to promoting my books and screenplays as well as working on my next book.  I entered the Reader's Favorite Book Awards contest recently, and they gave The Love Makers a 4-star review.  This fabulous review is starting to hit the media.

Author’s new book “The Love Makers” receives a warm literary welcome...Read more: