Entertain kids in the car, on a plane, during church, on a zoom call, at a restaurant, in the shower…
These 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! (I’m not getting paid to list ANY of these. They are all toys that our family has used and found successful!)
TODDLER gift ideas for the car:
The key with car activities is that they can’t have lots of little pieces that will fall on the ground. And although they can make more nose than in other settings (like church or synagogue), you don’t want something that is going to play the same music again and again until you want to drive the car straight to the nearest Club Med.
Locks and latches board by Melissa & Doug (my son was obsessed!)
Lift the flap books! Not only is this one flappy, but it has hidden pictures to keep kids interested longer.
Bubble pop fidget. This cute owl one is good because you can ask your toddler to pop a specific letter or sequence of letters to help with literacy.
Buckle toy. This one really helps with finger and hand dexterity, and depending on your child’s age, can keep them busy for quite a while.
Screen free car activities for AGES 4+
Let them draw on their car window with dry-erase markers! Just make sure you get a low odor version. Let their imaginations run wild. Or ask them to draw what they see out the window.
Doodle board. You can draw and erase endless times.
Books! Always bring tons of books! Here’s our favorites.
Magnet drawing board. This thing will entertain them 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!
Screen free gift ideas for AGES 6+
Where’s Waldo books will keep them engrossed as they look for the hidden character on each page. This is a good one to get from the library, as there are many versions. Or stock up on Black Friday to get a bunch of them for cheap, and pull out a new one every week!
Mad Libs! They’ll be cracking up while learning about grammar.
Fidget puzzle ball. 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!
“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 they love the potty humor. I usually get them from the library, but if we are going on a road trip I’ll splurge and buy one for each boy. One book keeps each boy engaged for at least an hour. And then they trade books with each other! Win! Dav has a brand new Dogman coming out in time for the holiday season: Big Jim Begins!
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.
Gift ideas for quiet toys, also good on an airplane!
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 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.
A tried and true gift idea is soldier toys! My sons can keep themselves busy for long stretches of time with these time-honored screen-free figurines.
Geoboard with rubber bands. This thing is so awesome! My kids found so many different designs to make, AND it’s quiet! An excellent Christmas gift idea!
Water Wow! This one 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. They make great stocking stuffers or birthday gifts. Just make sure you fill up the pen with water before you get there!
But wait, there’s more!….
Magnetic puzzles 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.
Sticker by number 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.
Maze books are also a favorite at our house. You could buy this one, or find something very similar at the Dollar Store. Sometimes I just give them a piece of paper and pencil and ask them to “draw a maze for me to do.” I’m usually amazed with what they create.
Rubber band bracelet kits are very engaging (and quiet!) However, I would never dare to have my kids do this in the car or the 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 them!
Screen free gift ideas 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 deck of Uno Cards. This one is so easy to keep 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.
Bananagrams is a very fun word game, but more portable than Scrabble. It also comes in miniature version so that you can fit it in your purse.
Would you rather? A great card game to invite conversations and good laughs.
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.
Crossword puzzles! Your kids can read it out loud and ask the group for help.
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.
Ideas for outside 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.
Have fun this season! And remember…. ’tis better to give than to receive! 🙂
Thank you for visiting ScreenLessPlayMore.com !!!
