Screen Free gift ideas that can entertain kids in the car, on a plane, during church, on a zoom call, at a restaurant, in the shower…
These screen free gift ideas will actually help you finish a zoom call without your child screaming, or let you pee ALONE for thirty seconds, or take a shower without an audience! I’ve been there, and I have your screen free solutions! These are all toys that our family has used and found successful! (And as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases at no cost to you!)
Screen free toys for TODDLERS (great for car trips!)
The key with car activities is that they can’t have lots of little pieces that will fall on the ground. And I personally don’t like toys that make noise. Noisy toys make me want to stop the car, kick out the kids, and drive to the nearest Club Med.
Locks and Latches Board by Melissa & Doug
My son was obsessed with this Locks and latches board by Melissa & Doug! This is a great one to keep a toddler busy in the car especially because you can’t loose any of the parts. Unlock, unlatch, open the hinged panels, and find fun pictures beneath! Kids will delight in discovering what’s hiding behind the locked and latched panels. It’s a wooden play board and educational toy in one. A great way to build fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination while learning colors, numbers, and animals!
Hide-and-Seek on the Farm: A Hidden Pictures Lift-the-Flap Book
My boys loved lift the flap books! Not only is this one flappy, but it has hidden pictures to keep kids interested longer.
What is hiding on the farm? Little readers will follow the farmers as they feed the animals, take care of the crops and work at the farm stand, all while searching for dozens of hidden objects. From the tried and true brand of Hilights Magazines, every page spread features 8 inviting and easy-to-open flaps. Under the flaps, kids will find the clues to objects hiding in the colorful landscape scenes.The kids puzzles in this animal farm book are specially created for younger children to help develop their concentration and attention to detail. This is one of my favorite screen free gift ideas for kids under 5.
Screen Free Gift Idea: Push Pop Bubble Fidget Sensory Toy
This Silicone Stress Relief Popping Toy is great because your toddler can start learning letters. If you have a child with autism who does not speak, he or she could use this to point out letters and spell what they want to say. Made in a bunch of color choices, it’s also a great fidget for kids with ADHD or kids who are a little more fidgety.
Stuffed Buckle Toy – A Great Screen Free Gift Idea for the Car Ride
Both of my boys have ADHD, so I was always trying to find ways to keep them busy in the car without pulling out a screen. They HATED getting into the car seat, so if I had a toy like this, it would distract them enough that I could belt them in while they were engrossed in the toy. It’s really good for finger dexterity and hand-eye coordination. Plus the smiling face is cute! This stuffy can be clipped to a stroller, high chair, or a car seat to keep children busy. I would say it’s a great screen free toy for the 3 and under crowd.
Screen free gift ideas for the car: AGES 4+
Dry Erase Markers
I know that this sounds ridiculous, but I let my kids draw on their car window with dry-erase markers! Just make sure to get this low-odor version, or it will drive you crazy and isn’t good for your kids. They can draw whatever their imagination desires, or you could tell them to draw what they see out the window.
If you’re on a long road trip, draw a star on the window for every 30 minute section. When you complete 30 minutes, you can tell the child to erase the star. This really helps them to comprehend how long the trip will be, and to scream “are we there yet” or “how much longer” every three minutes. And these specific ones from Amazon don’t cost as much as the brand name.
Colorful Doodle Board Drawing Tablet, Erasable Reusable
This is a fun, mess-free way to write or draw. Battery powered, it has an LCD screen which illuminates colors when you write with the stylus. I love that you don’t need to remember to bring colored pencils, and you don’t have the dreaded possibility of MELTED crayons in your car on a hot road trip! (I may or may not be speaking from experience.) Kids can draw endless times because you erase the screen with one click.
Books are the BEST Screen Free Gifts Ever!
Even when my boys were too young to read by themselves, they adored paging through books to look at the pictures. I would bring two huge tote bags of library books on our hour-long trip to the ocean, and my boys (both under 5) could keep themselves entertained the entire way (as long as there were some good tunes on the radio too.)
Our absolute favorite picture book ever is The Library Lion by Michelle Knudsen. I’m honestly surprised that they haven’t made a movie out of it yet. It’s one of my favorite things to give as a birthday present.
If you would like books that promote imagination and play, we have your guide here. Or, if it’s autumn, click here for the best Halloween books for kids. These are my 10 personal favorite children’s books.
For an easily clickable list, check out the list below, which is has over 40 of the best picture books for kids at Bookshop.org. I am an affiliate of Bookshop.org and will get a small commission, at no cost to you, if you buy through this link. Win win!
Magnetic Drawing Board for Toddlers & Kids
This great screen free toy will will entertain your kids for eons! The magnetic balls don’t fall out, and the pen is attached to the unit so that you don’t loose it. It’s too loud for church, but excellent for the car or the airplane! No Eraser Needed: Let your kids unleash their creative juices just by pointing the magnetic nib of the stylus on each hole to move the magnetic beads to the surface. To undo, just use the side of the pen to push them back down. I gotta say, it’s pretty mesmerizing. My husband and I like to play with it sometimes just to zen out.
Screen free gift ideas: AGES 6+
Where’s Waldo Books! You Remember These!
I’m guessing that you remember the original “Where’s Waldo” books from your childhood. They’re still as amazing for keeping kids busy, but better because there are numerous different versions!
All the versions of “Where’s Waldo” by Martin Handford will keep kids engrossed as they look for the hidden character on each page. Stock up on Black Friday to get a bunch of them for cheap, and pull out a new one every week! For over a quarter of a century, the bespectacled Waldo has held a place as a beloved cultural icon. Candlewick has reissued the classic Waldo adventure with special features worthy of a stalwart hero.
One of the many new versions is a Christmas Spectacular! In this one, Waldo is all decked out for Christmas! Snowmen, skis, toys, and other wintry images from Waldo’s previous adventures combine with unique artwork to create a hide-and-seek holiday extravaganza.
Hundreds of stickers add dimension to the game. Yet again, this is a great quiet activity for church or the car or the airplane. And it’s a good choice for Christmas because Waldo has never been so festive!
My son got the travel version of “Where’s Waldo” as a birthday present. It’s awesome because it is smaller, more portable, and it has seven books in one! The titles include:
Where’s Waldo?
Where’s Waldo Now?
Where’s Waldo? The Fantastic Journey
Where’s Waldo? The Wonder Book
Where’s Waldo? In Hollywood
Where’s Waldo? The Great Picture Hunt!
Where’s Waldo? The Incredible Paper Chase
LEGO! The Ultimate Screen Free Gift Idea
We all know that there are thousands of Lego sets you can buy to follow the directions and make a specific model. But- the MOST creative use of Legos is what we did back in the ’70s and ’80s, which is to just have a huge tub of loose Legos and put together whatever our imaginations could dream up.
This classic Lego set includes 790 pieces in 33 different colors. It’s compatible with all Lego sets, and is a great starting place to get your kids creating!
Mad Libs Junior! A Hilarious Screen Free Gift
Mad Libs has a version for younger kids called Mad Libs Junior, which uses symbols to indicate which type of word is being requested. This makes it much easier for early readers than the regular version.
No matter which version you buy, they will still be learning grammar and gaining literacy while they crack themselves up. I remember doing Mad Libs with my cousin when we were around sixth grade, and instead of inserting the correct noun or adjective, we just used cuss words. We laughed ourselves silly and thought we were SO hilarious! Now, I’m not suggesting that you do that, but I am pointing out that these really are fun for all ages.
I feel like they’re especially good for road trips, because one person can ask for the words, and the entire car can participate. When you read it out loud, even the grown ups usually find it funny.
Once your kids are a little older and understand the concepts of nouns, adjectives, adverbs, and such, you can check out the original version of Mad Libs– which come in plenty of different varieties – even Christmas!
Screen Free Gift: Fidget Puzzle Ball
This fidget puzzle ball will entertain your kids for a while! Mix up the colors and re-do them endless times. It’s like the new generation’s Rubik’s cube. Interactive play is always better than mindless screen time! As Amazon says “This is a big rainbow ball with 12 holes and 11 colorful small balls inside, and a sponge in the center that allows the colorful balls to slide from one slot to the next when you press on them. You need to match all 11 balls to their corresponding colored rings to complete the puzzle.”
My ADHD sons love any kind of fidget, and this is definitely a cool one. Plus it’s very easy to stash in your purse or in your child’s backpack. Say goodbye to boredom and hello to screen free toys!
Dog Man and Cat Kid and Captain Underpants books!
“Dogman,” “Cat Kid,” and “Captain Underpants” are my sons’ favorites!!! (Basically anything by Dav Pilkey.) They’re easier to read since they’re graphic novels, and kids love the potty humor. One book keeps each boy engaged for at least an hour, so they’re great for road trips, or even just a relaxing afternoon at home.
As a side note, author Dav Pilkey grew up with ADHD and dyslexia. He was so disruptive in class that his teachers made him sit in the hall every day. Luckily, he used this time to draw and create stories. I love to tell this to my ADHD son to show him how you can follow your passions to become wildly successful, even if you have learning difficulties.
Kids with dyslexia tend to enjoy graphic novels because the font looks more like handwriting and can be easier to read. Plus, the text is more spread out over many frames instead of being bulked into large paragraphs of text. My son enjoys graphic novels because he can tell which character is talking, since there are dialogue bubbles coming out of their mouths. Captain Underpants is a nice transition from graphic novels to chapter books. Although it has traditional text like a chapter book, there is a picture on EVERY single page.
Side note: Why are screens so addictive anyway?
Dr. Richard Freed gave an amazing interview to the Screen Less Play More Podcast where he explained the nuts and bolts of how tech companies intentionally make their apps and games addictive. He wrote the fascinating book “Better Than Real Life: The Secret Science Addicting Kids To Screens – And How To Save Childhood.” It is definitely in my top 5 favorite parenting books about screen time. Highly recommend. But, if you don’t have time to read (you’re not alone!) you can listen to his episode of the podcast here:
Screen Free Gift Ideas that are quiet!
Keeping kids quiet in church is harder than finding a flattering swimsuit. It just doesn’t happen that often. My sons have done very well with the following toys, (although I will admit that they sometimes still try to climb underneath the pew.)
Lego Magazine (And it’s free!)
Lego Magazine is so fun and keeps my kids occupied during church for the entire hour. And best of all, it’s FREE! Just sign-up on their website and you’ll get the magazine sent to you five times per year. There’s really no reason not to!
If your kids aren’t into Legos, there are plenty of other wonderful magazines to get that can keep their interest just as well. Magazines are definitely some of my favorite screen-free gifts because they keep coming in the mail box all year long! (And kids think it’s fun to get mail addressed to them!) I also like that they’re light weight and can fit into my tote bag easily. Some of our other favorites include Scout Life Magazine, High 5 Magazine (for ages 3-5) Hilights For Children (for ages 5+), and Pokemon Magazine for the trading card players in your life.
Military Action Figures – A Classic Screen Free Gift
A tried and true gift idea is soldier toys, aka “army men.” My sons can keep themselves busy for long stretches of time with these time-honored screen-free figurines. We got ours on a visit to the Gettysburg Battlefield, but you can get some great sets on Amazon.
Kids can get really creative with them and create all sorts of additional elements, like drawing miltary maps, or drawing out the battlefield for them to play on, or creating buildings to attack out of Lincoln Logs or Legos. As long as they are using their imagination, the options are limitless- and that’s the point! There’s only so many things you can do with a screen, but the whole world is open to a child using her creativity!
Wooden Geoboard with Rubber Bands
This thing is so awesome! The Wooden Geoboard comes with rubber bands as well as idea cards of designs to try. My kids found so many different designs to make, AND it’s quiet!
An excellent screen free gift idea for Christmas or birthday or Hanukkah. It’s a Montessori style educational toy that really helps with finger dexterity, motor skills, and hand-eye coordination. A perfect way to get little fingers ready for holding a pencil, but through fun!
Water Wow! Mess free coloring from Melissa & Doug
Water Wow on-the-go is fun for quiet places because you don’t get that scratch-scritch sound of colored pencils or crayons rubbing on the paper. AND it’s reusable! Plus, there are about 50 different versions including dinosaurs, outer space, fairy tale and unicorn. They make great stocking stuffers or birthday gifts.
You fill up the pen with a bit of water, and then the color of the paintings gets illuminated from the water contact. It’s basically the paint by number books of your youth, but the water is self-contained in the pen and less messy. (Just make sure you fill up the pen with water before you leave the house.) This is a really great screen free gift for airplane trips or long car trips.
Magnetic Puzzles – Screen Free Gift Idea Win
These magnetic puzzles by Melissa & Doug are great because it’s less likely that you’ll loose the pieces as you play. This one is good for quiet spaces as well as the car or airplane. There are 2 puzzles per set, with 15 pieces each. They are meant for ages 3+. I find that they are easy enough for a 3-year-old, but my 7-year-old is still interested in figuring them out (because he likes getting it done quickly and feeling impressed with himself.)
Puzzles are great for motor skills, developing pincer muscles, and spatial awareness. Before your kids are able to pick up a pencil or write, they need to develop the tiny muscles in their hands, which is best done through play. This is one of the perfect types of playful activity that will develop them for future academics, whereas touching the screen of an iPad is not going to advance their skills.
Sticker By Number– A Favorite Screen Free Gift
Sticker By Number (also known as Sticker Paint Book) is perfect to throw in your purse or tote bag and pull out whenever there’s a down moment: long wait at the doctor’s office, bus ride, while they’re riding in the grocery cart…. the list goes on… It’s great for finger and hand dexterity, and puts a different spin on the usual color-by-number books. Plus, you don’t have to bring along the markers or colored pencils.
I would save this one for when kids have number awareness and good dexterity, so probably ages 5 or 6 and up. They need to match the sticker from section X with the place marked X on the page. It DEFINITELY keeps them busy, plus there’s a cool picture to brag about or put on your wall when finished. I can’t tell you how often I pull these out if we have a long car commute, or an adult meeting that my kids have to sit through with me. This particular brand comes in a pack of 2, which is nice!
Maze Activity Books for Kids
Maze Books are a favorite screen free gift at our house. Grab some pencils and set your child up for hours of screen-free fun with this book of amazing mazes.
Solving maze activities can be a crucial yet fun part of your kid’s development. They help in nurturing the development of your child’s brain, thought processes, problem solving skills, IQ and intelligence. Improve memory pathways as you map out the best path to reach the goal in every activity. These mazes will build fine motor skills and improve concentration.
Rainbow Loom Rubber Band Bracelet Kit
Rubber band bracelet kits are very engaging (and quiet!) However, I would never dare to have my kids do this in the car or airplane due to the hundreds of loose pieces. As long as they keep them in the container, you should be good to go. My son got these as a Christmas gift last year and loves to make bracelets for friends.
The Loomi-Pals Mega Combo features 5,600 Latex Free Rubber Bands, 60 Loomi-Pals Charms, 2 Happy Loom, 300 G-Clips, 300 beads, 12 Gift Bags, 1 Rainbow Loom 2.0, 2 Hooks, and Instructions all in an organized case.
Screen free toys for restaurants
Any of the above toys would work well at a restaurant. Some of the toddler toys are great options while you’re child is in her highchair. But I will list a few of our favorites for our 5+ kids, which usually engage the entire family. And, most importantly, they’re more portable and fit better in a purse or bag than some of the things you might keep in your car for road trips.
Miniature Uno Card Set
This is the World’s Smallest Uno Set and fits perfectly in my purse. This is great for restaurants because you’re sitting at a table, and you usually have at least 2 or 3 people with you. I love how small it is, because no matter where you find yourself with spare time to kill, you always have something screen-free to do (instead of just shoving your cell phone in your child’s face.)
There are a bunch of different games in the “World’s Smallest” collection including Spot It, Dos card game, a teeny tiny set of regular playing cards, and a miniature Connect 4.
Bananagrams Word Game
Bananagrams is a very fun word game, and more portable than Scrabble. It also comes in miniature version so that you can fit it in your purse. Its excellent for a restaurant setting where you’re already sitting around a table. However, I would NEVERventure to bring this on a plane on car trip because my kids would inevitably spill the tiles all over the place.
Recommended for ages 8 and up, but it depends on how strong of a reader your child is.
Would You Rather? Excellent screen-free gift
Would You Rather is a super fun card game that helps you get to know your fellow players, while also having a laugh. “Would you rather live in a time without plumbing or electricity? Would you rather communicate with extraterrestrials or animals? Would you rather swim faster than a dolphin or run faster than a cheetah?”
I have been known to use these cards to get conversation going at the dinner table with my kiddos, and it would be also a good way to entertain everyone while you wait for food at a restaurant. As long as you don’t get car sick, you could read these off to everyone as you kill time on a long car trip.
Good o’l Fashioned Deck Of Cards
A deck of cards! What a concept! Probably the cheapest, most convenient thing you can bring along anywhere. There are literally hundreds of card games that you can play. It’s perfect for a restaurant since you have a table anyway. Here are ten kid-friendly card games.
Bill Gates, founder of Microsoft, and former richest man on earth, speaks fondly of playing cards with his Grandmother as a child. In his memoir “Source Code: My Beginnings” he explains that his grandmother played to win, and never pulled any punches with young Bill. This taught him tenacity, concentration, logic, and strategy. He says that this taught his mind to do difficult tasks, and was the precursor to being able to spend hours writing computer code.
Crossword Puzzles! A time-tested screen-free gift for Christmas or Birthdays!
This particular book has 101 crossword puzzles made specifically for kids. If your kids aren’t old enough to do the puzzles alone, you could read them aloud and ask the group for help. Crossword puzzles really improve vocabulary skills as well as reading skills.
As they get better and better at their skills, they can try to do the grown-up ones with you, which are definitely a brain builder! I love these as a screen-free gift alternative.
You got this!
You don’t have to rely on screens to keep your kids engaged.
While some of these toys are better for some environments than others, most of them would work well to keep your kids entertained whenever you need a few minutes; zoom call, the airplane, shower, taking a pee alone! You decide! I know it’s inevitable that the phone will keep their interest better at times, and you can decide when that feels necessary. But, try these toys first and save the phone for “emergencies” like the job interview call right after your kids ate three thousand M&Ms.
Checkout the Screen Less Play More Substack!
50 Reasons to Not Buy Your Child A Smart Phone
Snapchat Thought I Was 15. What It Showed Me Was Shocking.
Should I light my child’s iPad on fire, or grind it in the garbage disposal? Asking for a friend…
Why are kids so addicted to screens? Hint: It’s by design
How Money and Mania are Ruining Kids’ Sports
Why is play important for children?
Family dinner doesn’t have to be a disaster
You Could Learn A Lot From an Oompa-Loompa
Ideas for play
If you need more screen-free ideas for outdoor play, after you have exhausted these indoor toys, checkout our article When Your Kid Doesn’t Know How To Play Outside. It includes over 30 game and toy suggestions to keep your kids active and engrossed outside.
These are the PERFECT toys and games to play on Screen Free Sunday.
What makes screens so addictive? Why should you shy away?
I’m so excited for the kids version of “The Anxious Generation.” Learn about “The Amazing Generation” here.
I am an affiliate of Bookshop.org, so any of your purchases will give me a small commission, at no cost to you.
I hope you enjoy these screen free toys! Your children’s brains will thank you!
