The warm weather and longer days are the perfect opportunity for fun activities with the family. But it can often feel easier to stay glued to our screens, scrolling endlessly.
Ofcom recently reported that around 97% of UK teenagers aged 13 to 15 own a mobile phone, while children aged 8 to 9 spend an average of two hours per day online, rising to 4 hours for 13 to 14-year-olds.
This is why it’s important to plan screen-free evenings at home for everyone to enjoy together. No need to leave the house, battle traffic, or spend much! Check out our round-up of fun ideas to keep the little (and big) ones entertained all summer – without a screen in sight.
Games and fun activities to play
- Play charades, 20 Questions or "I Spy".
- Dig out classic card and board games and have plenty of delicious snacks ready.
- Set up an outdoor obstacle course complete with a tug of war rope for fun in the garden.
Ways to get creative together
- Make fun foods like rainbow pasta, coloured mashed potato, mini crumpet pizzas or flavoured ice lollies in moulds.
- Create a collage or mood board using old magazine and newspaper cuttings.
- Build a puppet theatre with a shoebox, old fabric, and paint and make puppet characters using ice lolly sticks and small toys. Then have your own show!
Fun ideas to get moving at home
- Put on your favourite music and have a living room dance-off or play musical statues.
- Organise an indoor scavenger hunt by hiding items around the house.
- Create your own nature trail in your garden or shared green space before dark. You could even get the watering can out to water the plants!
- Enjoy simple stretches or yoga for kids in the garden. Why not try a free family workout from the Body Coach TV – just remember to learn a few simple exercises beforehand and leave phones inside!
Make it stick: organise weekly screen-free evenings
Choose a screen-free evening in the week to help make it an easier habit to stick to. Let the kids choose the activity to get them excited to put their screens down.
Get Help in the Holidays
If you’re thinking of heading out with the family but want to stay on track with your budget, there are lots of fun free and low-cost activities happening across the Midlands this summer. Check them out in our Help in the Holidays guide below.
