Here in Maine, this is Spring Break. Never is the television more on my mind than when my children are home from school and our routines are suddenly wide open and scrambled all at the same time. Monday, I received a great reinforcement of many of my feelings about the TV from Simple Mom; however, just 2 days into break, and I am already wavering on my own rules and guidelines for TV watching. Truth be told, my children are really only interested in the Wii, but many of the same challenges exist in game-playing as in tv-watching: limited use of creativity, endorphin-inducing stimuli, inactivity and lethargy. I must once again remind myself and my children of all of the fun things to do that don’t involve a screen.

photo by aplumb

• arts & crafts – This is one of my favorite things. I have never considered myself artistic, but I have cultivated a love for arts & crafts in my children. Coloring and drawing are creativity outlets. They often tell me a lot about what is going on with each child. They provide good family-bonding time, and above all, they are quiet activities.
• reading time – I try to schedule reading time into each break or even weekend.  I want my children to know that there is adventure and fun in books.  It is important to me that they also see me loving to read.  One of my favorite break activities is to find a good book series and work to get through it.  Right now we are one the last book in the Percy Jackson series and my children are always eager to find out what comes next.
• cards/board games – Tell a kid to play a game, and he’ll likely whine that he doesn’t know what or how to play.  Teach a kid to play a game, and you may set yourself up for future peace and quiet as the child will have the confidence to play independently.
• outdoors – It is not always possible to play outside, but the outdoors provides so many benefits:  fresh air, community involvement (friends), and endless diversions.  We live in the woods and my children love running barefoot through the trees, building forts, and “collecting” creatures.
• building project – We have several building toys:  Lincoln Logs, K’nex, Zoobs, and others.  If my children complain that they have nothing to do on a rainy day, my favorite response is, “Build something.”  I love it when all 3 are working together to build a zoo or a space station.  You certainly don’t need these toys to build.  Recycling materials (toilet paper/paper towel tubes, clean tubs and jars) make wonderful building materials.  And for a special treat, armfuls of blankets, chairs, and flashlights can be used to create a special den or fort.

What are your favorite tv-free projects or activities?  What works for you to keep your children entertained and away from the many screens we have today?