Screen Time Alternatives for Kids: 40 Ideas by Age, From Toddlers to Tweens

The best screen time alternatives are activities where a child makes, moves or imagines something, rather than watching: building, pretend play, drawing, cooking, outdoor missions, books and audio stories. What works changes with age — toddlers need hands-on, sensory play; tweens need challenge and independence — so the 40 ideas below are sorted by age, followed by ideas for the hardest moments: bedtime, the car and restaurants.

What the guidance actually says

Screen-time advice changed in 2026, so it is worth checking what the current guidance says rather than relying on older rules.

• World Health Organization (2019, for under-5s): screen time is not recommended for babies under 1; sedentary screen time is not recommended for 1-year-olds; and for children aged 2 to 4 it should be no more than one hour a day — less is better. (WHO)
• American Academy of Pediatrics (policy statement published February 2026): the AAP now puts the emphasis on quality rather than a single number. It says time limits might range from under 1 hour a day for toddlers and preschoolers to 1 to 2 hours a day or more of entertainment media for school-aged children, and that "the most important considerations are high-quality content and prioritizing healthy activities (eg, sleep, play, physical activity, reading)". It also notes that video chatting can offer real two-way interaction. (AAP policy statement)

In other words: for young children, less is better; for everyone, what they do on a screen matters, and so does protecting sleep, play, movement and reading. That is what the ideas below are for.

Screen time alternatives for toddlers (1–3)

Toddlers learn through their hands and senses. Keep activities short, simple and supervised — and avoid small objects that could be swallowed.

1. Water play — a washing-up bowl, cups and a sponge on a towel.
2. Stacking and knocking down — blocks, cups or cardboard boxes.
3. Posting games — push clothes pegs or lids into a slot cut in a shoebox.
4. Sensory bin — dry pasta or oats with scoops and containers.
5. Board books and lift-the-flap books — let them turn the pages.
6. Bubbles — chasing and popping them outdoors.
7. Music and movement — pots, wooden spoons, shakers and a dance.
8. "Helping" chores — wiping the table, pairing socks, carrying the shopping.
9. Crayons on big paper — taped to the floor so it doesn't slide.
10. Nature walk — collect leaves, stones and sticks in a bag.

Screen time alternatives for preschoolers (3–5)

Preschoolers love pretend play, simple rules and making things they can show you.

11. Pretend play box — a doctor kit, play kitchen, shop or dress-up box.
12. Blanket fort — then read a book inside it with a torch.
13. Playdough — with cookie cutters, a rolling pin and a blunt knife.
14. Simple puzzles — 12 to 48 pieces.
15. Sticker scenes — a sheet of stickers and a plain page to build a picture.
16. Treasure hunt — hide a toy and give "hot or cold" clues.
17. Baking together — measuring, pouring and stirring.
18. Gardening — plant cress or a bean in a cup and check it every day.
19. Action rhymes and songs — "Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes" and clapping games.
20. Story time — read aloud, then ask them to tell the story back with toys.

Screen time alternatives for ages 6–8

Children of this age like rules, challenges and projects that last more than one sitting.

21. Board and card games — snakes and ladders, Uno, dominoes or snap.
22. Building challenges — "build a bridge that holds a book" with blocks or LEGO.
23. Make a comic or a book — fold paper into a booklet and write and draw a story.
24. Kitchen science — baking soda and vinegar volcanoes, or a cloud in a glass.
25. Scavenger hunt with a list — "something red, something soft, something that smells nice".
26. Bike, scooter or skipping — set a small goal, such as ten skips in a row.
27. Origami — paper planes, boats and frogs, then a "longest flight" contest.
28. Shop or café play with real coins — practising money and maths.
29. Chapter books read together — one chapter a night.
30. A collection — leaves, stones, stamps or postcards, with labels.

Screen time alternatives for tweens (9–12)

Tweens want independence, real skills and things that feel grown-up. Let them choose.

31. Cook a whole meal — they choose a recipe, write the list and cook (with help with the hob).
32. Learn a skill from a book — knots, card tricks, sketching or juggling.
33. Write and illustrate a story or a comic series.
34. Strategy games — chess, draughts or more complex board games.
35. A building or making project — a birdhouse, a bracelet-making kit or a model.
36. Sport or outdoor time with friends.
37. Gardening a patch of their own — choosing what to grow.
38. A reading challenge — a book a week, with a small reward at the end of the month.
39. Volunteering or helping a neighbour — walking a dog, watering plants.
40. Plan a family day out — research, budget and itinerary (a little research online is fine).

Ideas for the hardest moments

The real challenge is rarely a free afternoon. It is the moments when a screen is the easiest option.

Before bed. Screens are especially hard to put down at bedtime, and both the WHO and the AAP stress the importance of good sleep. Try a bath, a book in bed, a simple bedtime story you tell together, quiet drawing, or an audio story with the lights low.

In the car or on a plane. "I spy", counting red cars, a story where each person adds one sentence, audiobooks, sticker books and a small bag of new-to-them toys saved for the trip.

At a restaurant. Crayons and paper, a deck of cards, "draw the person opposite", noughts and crosses on a napkin, or a small notebook for a running story.

When you need to work or cook. A "busy box" kept only for those moments (playdough, stickers, a new puzzle), helping you in the kitchen, or a quiet-time basket of books.

Rainy or sick days. A blanket fort, a film-free "cinema" of shadow puppets with a torch, audiobooks, and building something big that can stay up all day.

How to make the switch stick

1. Swap one slot, not the whole day. The after-school slump is a good place to start.
2. Make the alternative easy to reach. Books on a low shelf and a basket of activities beat a tablet in reach.
3. Rotate toys and activities. Put some away for two weeks; they come back feeling new.
4. Give a warning before screens end. "Two more minutes, then we build the fort" works better than a sudden "off".
5. Do it with them at first. Most screen-free activities hold a child longest when an adult starts them off.

When there is a screen, make it count

Some days a screen is the right answer, and that's fine. The AAP's emphasis on quality is a helpful test. Good screen time:

• asks something of the child — creating, choosing, reading, answering — rather than only watching;
• has a clear start and stop, rather than an endless feed or autoplay;
• has no advertising aimed at your child;
• is something you'd be happy to share with them, and talk about afterwards.

Personalised stories are one way to make screen time active: with ZunoTales, your child chooses the idea and becomes the hero of an illustrated story that is read aloud, with a clear beginning and end and no ads. It is free to start, with three stories a month. When choosing any children's app, look for content that is checked before your child sees it, no advertising to children, and an adult in control — our Trust & Safety page explains how we do it.

More ideas: stories for reluctant readers, 5-minute bedtime stories and our free science story lessons, each with a printable worksheet.

FAQ: What can kids do instead of screen time?

Anything where they make, move or imagine: building with blocks or boxes, pretend play, drawing and making books, cooking, gardening, board games, outdoor scavenger hunts, reading and audio stories. Choose by age — toddlers need short, sensory play; tweens need projects and challenges they choose themselves.

FAQ: What can my child do instead of screen time before bed?

A bath, a book in bed, a story you tell together, quiet drawing, a jigsaw or an audio story with the lights low. Keeping screens out of the bedtime routine helps protect sleep, which both the WHO and the AAP highlight as a priority for children.

FAQ: What are good screen time alternatives for toddlers?

Short, hands-on, supervised play: water play, stacking and knocking down, posting games, sensory bins, board books, bubbles, music and movement, helping with simple chores, crayons on big paper and nature walks. Avoid small objects that could be swallowed.

FAQ: How much screen time is OK for a 3-year-old?

The WHO recommends no more than one hour a day for children aged 2 to 4, and says less is better. The AAP's 2026 policy statement suggests limits might be under one hour a day for toddlers and preschoolers, and stresses high-quality content and protecting sleep, play, physical activity and reading.

FAQ: Is educational screen time OK for kids?

Quality matters more than the label. The AAP's 2026 guidance puts high-quality content first, alongside protecting healthy activities like sleep, play and reading. Good educational screen time asks the child to do something — create, choose, read or answer — has a clear end, carries no ads aimed at children, and is something you can share and talk about together.

FAQ: What are screen-free activities for 10-year-olds?

Cooking a whole meal, learning a skill from a book (card tricks, knots, sketching), writing and illustrating a comic, chess and strategy games, building projects, sport with friends, a gardening patch of their own, a reading challenge, helping a neighbour, and planning a family day out.