Three Screen-Free Activities for the Summer

With so much time around technology, it is important to give your child some balance to their education. Try some of these fun activities and games to keep your child learning throughout the summer months.

1. Scavenger Hunt

Take your child for a walk around the neighborhood, or a car ride. Use our Neighborhood Nature Walk Checklist to highlight some items that you may find on your trip.

If you prefer to stay home, you can also play a game of I Spy! Look for details around your home such as, “I spy something that’s the color red,” and try to see if your child can locate that item.  

These scavenger hunt games really help with your child’s critical thinking skills and patience. Children are bound to look for items where they think they belong. If your child cannot immediately see an item, try prompting them by telling them the color of the item and what area it is in. 

2. Board Games

Introducing board games is another fun way to get your child thinking. Below are a few board game ideas and how they can help boost memory skills, critical thinking, and so much more.

• Twister: Incorporates color and body part recognition and following directions.
• Clue: Requires critical thinking and problem solving.
• Jenga: Involves sensory and motor skills.
• Bingo: Requires critical thinking and patience.
  • Play shape, number or activity style Bingo games.

3. Exercises

Summer is the perfect time to get your child active. Playing simple outdoor games with a twist will make all the difference in their learning this summer. Below are two fun outdoor exercise games to try with your child.

• Traffic Light Run: Test your child’s memory and association with colors and meaning. Green means go. Yellow means slow down. Red means stop. Ask your child to follow your directions.
• Jump Rope Math: Instead of counting consecutively, challenge your child to count by two’s or even three’s each time they jump rope. This will not only help them with their mental math skills but will also help them stay active outdoors.

Keeping your child engaged with screen-free activities is a great way to keep them learning this summer. Try these activities at home with your child and see how their enthusiasm improves. Always remember to keep a balance between activities. A good balance will result in fun and increased learning.