While I will still need to work at my computer, my family will otherwise be powering down this week. I have a STACK of magazines that I've ignored since receiving my Kindle Fire and heaven knows, my girls have an awesome new selection of books (go here for our recent toddler book wish list that has been mostly fulfilled!) that need read a few hundred more times until I have them completely memorized :)
Here are the TOP 10 TV alternatives that we'll be indulging in this week:
- FAMILY GARDENING! My husband is an avid gardener and our girls LOVE helping out. Truth be told, I often use that time for my own recreational screen time. This week, I'll be digging in the dirt with them and most likely strengthening my marriage while I do it :) Double win! Head here for my woojr.com post about toddler friendly gardening.
- BOOKS! I LOVE to read, but sometimes it takes a little energy burst to read with my kids. Once we start, I always enjoy it and this week we'll work our way through our stacks and stacks of books!
- NATURE HIKES! It's spring in our neck of the woods and this week I'll let the kids set the pace and direction. So often, we walk with determination and purpose and miss the delicate buds poking through the fallen leaves or the newly arrived bird calls. One of my favorite activities: Wrap your child's wrist with masking tape (sticky side out) and let them make their own bracelet!
bird watch AND why not enjoy a simple craft as a welcome home gift to the birds?
5. DO NOTHING! Is it cheating to include this one? Well, I cannot say enough about giving your kids the gift of
freedom (even if it's boredom). Just this past Saturday, I let my almost 4 year old have some SOLO TIME
outside (the gift of living in the country). She enjoyed swinging, walking, dancing, talking & singing, but each time
she caught me checking on her, she would STOP and NEED ME.
6. MAKE A PINTEREST BUCKET LIST! Yes, you'll need a little screen time to make this list and read the
directions, but how many of us "Pin" awesome kids crafts, but never get around to doing them? THIS IS THE
WEEK! Here is my "to do with kids" pinboard.
7. VISIT LOCAL ATTRACTIONS. The Public Library and perhaps the local science & history museum are on our
agenda this week. We don't have a library card (we live out of area), but we can still enjoy the kids area and
enjoy reading new books & playing new games! We're also going to Camp Lutherlyn's FREE Camp Blast event
on Sunday. If you live near Butler, PA, I highly recommend attending (think horse rides, camp games, fishing,
sing alongs, food, wagon rides, campfires, etc!!
8. COOK TOGETHER. This is one of the times I rely on the TV the most... to cook in peace :) However, my girls
LOVE helping with dinner preparations! They're especially good with pizza toppings and {destroying} cookie cut-
outs. Time to pull out the sugar cookie dough I froze over the (gulp) Christmas holidays!
9. SCHEDULE A PLAY DATE! There are so many special people in our lives that we don't see regularly. This
week, I'd love to treat my girls to a play date with a friend (or two) they don't see often.
10. CREATE YOUR OWN PLAYS. Whether it's with puppets, capes or drawings, grow your imagination and take
your kids on a fanciful journey. My husband is especially good with story telling and our almost 4 year old has
picked up on the skill. The stories she tells are AWESOME... wait till she discovers that we can ACT THEM
OUT!
Whether it's one-hour, one-day, or one-week, please join me in being SCREEN FREE!
TELL ME: What activities will be replacing your screen time?