Screens can be so bittersweet with young kids, and it’s hard to know how to cut down on screen time. The toughest instances for us were in restaurants, during long trips in the car or on a plane, and other public spaces where our daughter had to sit for longer periods. Because of these tough situations, I’ve been on a mission to find the best screen-free activities for our daughter.
In this post, I’ve put together some of our favorite activities to keep our daughter busy without using screens. These activities are great for younger kids, but can be good for older kids too. I also want to add that it’s okay to use screens too, and that our daughter still uses them at times, especially on long road trips or plane rides! This list is just for those looking for alternatives to screens when on-the-go.
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Mess-Free Coloring
The mess-free coloring sets from Crayola are one of our top choices for a reason. These markers are amazing! They’re perfect for on-the-go because they make no mess and are really fun to use.
The set is a little large, but I still carry it into places because it’s such a good activity. It’s also great to have at home too.
Our daughter loves these smaller versions as well, and they are available with tons of different characters. They can usually be found in airports or gas stations.
Switch Board
This busy board has been a great find since our daughter was really little. She still has a lot of fun playing with it years later.
It includes a bunch of different switches and lights that can be really entertaining. It’s also a fairly small size compared to other busy boards and fits well in a diaper bag.
Magnetic Blocks
These magnetic blocks are a more recent find that have been really helpful on-the-go. They’re pretty small and come with a handy travel case. They fit perfectly in a purse or diaper bag too.
While our daughter loves other magnetic building toys, these are a more travel-friendly option for kids. These have been great for restaurants because of their small size.
Silicone String Sensory Board
The silicone string board is another more recent find that I actually just ordered. So far, it’s been a big hit with our daughter!
Since the strings take some concentration to put on the board, it keeps her busy for a good amount of time. It’s also really small and fits perfectly in my purse.
Magnetic Tins
These magnetic tin sets were a great find in the Target dollar section over a year ago, and our daughter still plays with them in the car or in restaurants all the time. We initially got them for a camping trip with family, and all of my nieces and nephews loved playing with them too.
There’s a variety of different sets that you can find. The one we have is a bug theme because our daughter is obsessed with bugs, but that one is pretty low in stock now.
Finger Puppets
I cannot tell you how helpful these finger puppets were on our last trip. Our flights were delayed and we were stuck in the airport all day, but these helped keep our daughter entertained for a long time.
Finger puppets are a good activity because you can come up with little storylines that will hold a child’s attention for longer than some other activities.
Aside from traveling, our daughter loves to play with these at home too. They’re super cute, and there’s a huge variety of animals and people included.
My Preschool Busy Book
The My Preschool Busy Book was another great activity when we were stuck in the airport on our last trip. Younger kids will need some help with this one, but it definitely held our daughter’s attention for a long time while she was only 2 years old as long as I was helping her.
This activity is a bit large, but still fits in our diaper backpack for on-the-go. Our daughter still likes to play with it at home too. It’s a great book for teaching colors, counting, the alphabet, and more.
Create-A-Face Sticker Book
I found these create-a-face sticker books during a pitstop on a very long roadtrip and I’m so glad I did. It kept our daughter entertained our entire trip and even when we got back home.
The goal is to create a face on the different heads in the book with the stickers given, which can be very entertaining and help kids use lots of imagination. Our daughter had so much fun with this, and I’d definitely get it again in the future.
Sorting Puzzle Board
This ice cream sorting puzzle is a new favorite for us that even my husband and I find super entertaining. There’s a lot of similar puzzles on Amazon that would be great options too.
While this puzzle is a bit large, it would be great for a road trip in the car. We also give it to our daughter during quiet time at home to wind down, as it is pretty calming to work on.
Tonies
The Tonies Box is the last activity on this list as it’s a bit more pricey than other options, but it does have an incredible variety of story options.
On the longest road trip we had with our daughter, she was kept very entertained with her Tonies. You can also use headphones with a Tonies box which is a nice feature.
This is another great screen-free activity to have at home too, as our daughter listens to Tonies all the time at home even while doing other activities.
While these activities are all great to use to avoid screen time, there are some other tips that can be really helpful during outings. My top tips are:
- Bring lots of snacks preventing your child from getting hungry.
- Try to stay calm as your emotions can be contagious.
- Show the fun in your current situation (watching planes, reading menus, etc).
- Remember to be flexible!
I hope these activities and tips are helpful for you in reducing screen time with your kids, especially while out of the house! Leaving the house with kids can be overwhelming at times, but there are some things that might make it a little easier. If you have any other suggestions, please comment them below!
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