School breaks give everyone opportunities to make more memories with their families. Holidays also mean brief periods when kids have more free time to use iPads, computers, and game consoles. Make sure your kids have a healthy balance by trying screen-free kids activities during the school holidays. Whether you get outside to explore the Kentuckiana area or hang out at home, their holiday break can become much more exciting than a tech-centered vacation from school. Here are 10 screen-free activities to entertain kids during holiday break –
1. Make a Holiday Recipe
Consider what recipes your kids tend to love during the holidays. When you’re ready to make a traditional dessert or try a new beef stew recipe, get your kids involved. Young people develop better motor skills when they learn how to cook. They’ll practice hand-eye coordination while they help you make recipes that make your mouth water.
2. Go Bowling Together
Bowling might feel like a lost family sport for many people. There are tons of bowling video games you could play at home, but those would add to your child’s screen time. Check out Kentuckiana opportunities like Vernon Lanes in the downtown Louisville area. Your kids might love trying on fun bowling shoes, competing to knock down pins and watching their bowling balls travel back to the start of your lane. If you add an exciting prize for the winner, bowling could become their new favorite thing to do during holiday breaks.
3. Roller Skate Around Your Neighborhood
When the sun’s out and the roads are clear, grab your roller skates. Your kids will have a blast skating around your neighborhood, especially if you bring a portable Bluetooth speaker to play their favorite music. You could also teach them how to roller skate to make new memories. If your kids are a bit older and want more of a challenge, try drawing images in chalk for them to skate around or jump over while they glide through the neighborhood.
4. Visit the Farmers Market
Farmers markets might feel like a summer activity, but they happen year-round. See if any are happening near your home while your kids are out of school. The Old Louisville Farmers Market could become your new favorite place to hang out together.
You’ll find local artists selling gifts you won’t find anywhere else and the freshest produce in town. When your family eats local produce that farmers picked just the other day, the food will contain more antioxidants, minerals and vitamins than your grocery store can offer because it’s still fresh. Treat your family to healthy seasonal food while your kids enjoy exploring the sights, sounds and scents of your nearest farmers market.
5. Learn to Paint Together
Kids activities during school holidays don’t have to involve lots of planning. Sometimes, all you need is some painting supplies and a splash of creativity. Visit a craft store together to get paints, brushes and mini canvases. You could even find themed kits like paint-by-number sets. Your family can bond while painting together at the kitchen table. Turn on their favorite music, and painting might become a new family tradition.
6. Attend a Bookstore Reading Event
Bookstores aren’t just places to buy the latest novels. They also host reading events for kids of all ages. Visit the websites of local bookstores to see when similar opportunities are happening during your family’s school break. Carmichael’s Bookstore schedules events where authors come in and read their children’s stories to anyone who attends. If your kids start falling in love with reading, your nearest public library will likely host similar events where they can meet new friends without involving a screen.
7. Host a Fashion Show
It might seem silly to put on a fashion show in your living room, but it’s a fun way for your children to practice expressing their creativity. Kids who get to express themselves boost their emotional well-being because they feel connected to their authentic selves. Turn on colorful lights, line the runway with pillows and play a soundtrack of big audiences cheering while your kids show off their fashion skills during a rainy or snowy afternoon.
8. Create a Trivia Game
Trivia is fun for children of all ages. Ask your kids to think of a topic they love and invent five or six trivia questions about those topics. You can mix their cards in a big bowl and host trivia night with popcorn or hot chocolate. If your family splits into teams, you could even compete for a prize. Trivia is one of the kids activities during school holidays that’s easy to forget but can provide hours of fun if your children or young teens are passionate about specific topics.
9. Visit the Zoo
Kids are never too young or too old to visit a zoo. The Louisville Zoo is open year-round and offers plenty of new experiences for children during holiday breaks. When your little ones aren’t watching polar bears or poisonous frogs in wonder, they can join interactive events to learn more about nature. You never know —your family might have a future zookeeper or veterinarian who just needs some inspiration to discover their next big dream.
10. Have a Dance Party
When your kids complain that they’re bored and you can’t think of anything for them to do, throw a dance party. You’ll get them off their screens for a few minutes while adding physical exercise to their day. Dancing also increases serotonin and dopamine production in the brain. Improve your family’s mental and physical health with an occasional jam session before they return to school.
Enjoy Screen-Free Activities as a Family
There are plenty of engaging activities around the Kentuckiana area that don’t involve screens. Plan a few fun kids activities during school holidays, like attending local reading events, painting together, or visiting a local bowling alley. No matter how you spend your time, your kids will avoid excessive technology use and have some extra family fun while they’re home for the holidays.
