Daily Screen-Free Schedule for Kids

Is technology getting out of control in your life? I woke up one day and realized that I was using TV as a crutch. We were using screens way too much. That night I got rid of it all, and the next day without technology was the LONGEST DAY OF MY LIFE. Once you remove all effortless entertainment from your life, you will also understand how long a day is!

After a few days, we got the hang of it, and now we don’t even long for the blanket covered TV hanging on our wall. I’m sharing how I had success taking technology away for anyone who feels overwhelmed at the prospect of enduring a day without a screen to entertain.

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Since we started this new routine, I’ve noticed improvements in my kid’s behavior and use of imagination. My kids have developed longer attention spans which means they can play longer without getting bored. On the schedule below, I didn’t list the time of day because everyone’s kids get up at different times. This is simply how our day comes together.

Also, if you ever need to strengthen your resolve to keep the screens out of your kid’s hands, read this book.

Here is the schedule that helped me conquer screens in my house:

Breakfast
Get ready for the day
Play outside or play inside (in the morning they play all kinds of imagination games such as house, school, pet shop, store…)
Watercolor paint
Read books
Snack
Play doh or craft (this craft is not supervised, they just have crafty things they create with. If I had to coordinate some elaborate craft I found on Pinterest, well… I promise you I would die.)
Play with toys in playroom
Lunch
Play outside (we have only a small cedar playground, bikes, chalk, and bubbles outside. All of which they play with. They usually end up playing with branches, leaves, and whatever else is laying around. They make shelters and fire rings and teepees. It’s impressive.)
If it is raining or freezing they usually will end up building elaborate forts, playing with toys, more reading, or crafting. We often play music that I enjoy and the kids dance and sing)
Board or card games
Books
Dinner
Family board game, book, or walk. The whole family will participate.
At the end of the night we talk to each other on the couch and snuggle
Bedtime

Honestly 15&16 are the hardest part of my day because I just want to unwind or veg out. I’m tempted to piddle on my phone, but I have learned that investing my time and attention on my kids is worth it. We all know this, but to see the pay off is different than knowing it.

Won’t it get expensive buying non-tech toys to entertain them?

You don’t have to go out and stock up on new and exciting toys to survive being tech-free. I replenish our play-doh as needed, spend a small amount to have a low-key kid-run craft area, and purchase some sidewalk chalk and bubbles. You will be shocked at how their imaginations go crazy when left to themselves long enough without technology.

If I were going to recommend one thing to get, it’d be this play-doh set. We have had the tools for YEARS and the kid’s imaginations have gone crazy with just these simple tools. I like that it doesn’t box them into what they can make, like ice cream cones and things like that, and the tools are high quality. But, I only own this expensive set because it was a gift. If you don’t want to spend that much (like me), you can get the kids rollers, cookie cutters, plastic knives and play-doh separately.

I recommend this one thing because when we first transitioned from TV multiple times a day to no TV, my kids played with play-doh (these tools in particular) for HOURS. It saved me from ripping that blanket off the TV so many times!

What if they get bored?

If their imaginations don’t come back in full force, don’t give up hope! Show them how to use their imagination by playing with them and coming up with games. I believe imagination can be taught, and then practice makes perfect.

Feel free to let them be bored, why do we feel the need to entertain them anyway? I never allowed my kids to say they were bored. You can say, “How can you be bored with xyz to do?” Sometimes I’d offer a suggestion of something they could do. They will eventually find something to do on their own. And if they don’t, that’s their problem, not mine. Seriously, they just entertain themselves after a while.

Tip: They really hate being told, “If you’re bored than your boring.” No one wants to be boring!

You Can Do This Too!

I hope this shows you, that aside from focused family time at the end of the day, removing tv won’t require you to do any extra work. You don’t have to spend your day doing complicated crafts with your kids or spend your money buying all the new toys to entertain them. All you need to do is step back and let your kids be kids. Have you tried to reduce the technology? What changes has it brought about in your family? Comment below!