Many kids these days grow up with access to screens from a young age, but for parents who want to cut down on screen time, helpful ways exist to go about that process. Of course, if you’re going from having a lot of screen time to little time (or even none), there’s going to be an adjustment period and you’ll likely have difficult days.
But kids are adaptable, and they’ll learn their new routines eventually. In the meantime, there are several TikTok hacks for going screen-free to make it as painless as possible. Or as painless as anything can be while parenting little ones.
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Plan in Advance
Before drastically cutting out screen time, prepare the family for the change. Dr. Chelsey Hauge-Zavaleta recommended in a TikTok video that parents tell the kids when the break will begin, put it on the calendar, and even brainstorm ideas as a family about what to do instead of using screens.
Kids may enjoy that sense of agency of understanding when it will happen and what they’ll be doing instead.
Avoid It During Routines
You don’t necessarily have to go completely screen-free as a family. But developmental physical therapist Dr. Olivia Reyes said on TikTok that putting screens away especially during daily routines (think getting ready for the day, meal time, etc.) is important. “I want [my son] to be completely functional in doing these routines without having to utilize screens,” she said.
Incorporate Movement
TikTok user @lifeofazka cited advice from fellow TikToker @seedsforspecialneeds for keeping high-energy kids entertained without screens. The biggest one? Incorporating movement into their day – especially if they have a tough time sitting still during independent play. Some of the helpful examples included chairs that move, swings, indoor stepping stones, and beanbags.
“Sometimes kids crave more movement when their other sensory needs are unmet,” @lifeofazka shared. If you’re reducing the sensory action of screen time, replace it with more movement actions instead.
Prepare the Environment
Every week, TikToker @tabletopfamily prepares her home to stay screen-free by rearranging the available games and activities on her living room shelves. These resets don’t have to include totally new items that you buy. Simply cycling through the toys they have a few at a time will help kids have “new-to-them” options.
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Have Fewer Toys
Cycling through available toys is an effective way to help kids stay interested in their playthings, but cutting back on the amount of available toys can help as well. That’s what TikTok parenting coach @cassiemomcoach does with her three children. “We literally have like three toys in our living room,” she said. “Less toys, less overwhelming, and they’ll actually play with them.”
Get Outside
In the same video, @cassiemomcoach added that another way she keeps her family from using screens is just by getting outside – and not at a playground. “I mean like in nature,” she said. “Give my kids a state park where they can throw rocks, they can hit sticks, they can run around, they can be loud, they can be wild – do that.”
Independent Play
TikToker @organicallymaddie‘s toddler is screen-free, and she puts an emphasis on independent play with open-ended toy options. These let her child use his imagination in countless ways. She listed examples of a play kitchen, fridge magnets, a climbing set, etc.
The good thing about independent play is it doesn’t require us entertaining them instead of a screen. That way we can do chores, work, make meals, and so on.
Childproof the House
Working hand-in-hand with independent play is a childproofed home. In the same TikTok video, @organicallymaddie said, “I refuse to chase my toddler around all day saying, ‘No, don’t get into this, don’t open that.'”
She has child locks on rooms she doesn’t want her toddler in and things put out of reach that she doesn’t want him getting into. That way she can let him independently play nearby without constantly worrying about what he might be doing.
Morning Baskets
Morning baskets are baskets of preselected toys for kids to use as part of their morning routine. They became a bit of a trend on TikTok thanks in large part to how they reduce screen time for kids. “I found that morning was the time that I was giving into screen time the most,” TikToker @marissalace said in a video. Morning baskets shifted her daughter’s attention towards independent play and away from screens.
Story Boxes
Entertain kids in a screen-free way with toys like the Yoto Mini or Toniebox. They’re essentially speakers that can read stories or play songs for your kids without any attached screens for them to look at. TikToker @todaysmodernmom swears by the option to keep kiddos busy during road trips especially.
Turn Off the TV Display
Another way for kids to listen to stories or music without watching a screen is by turning off the video display. TikToker @mrs.s2424 found that in the “display” settings on YouTube videos like the Ms. Rachel ones, you can toggle to turn off the video and just have the kids hear her songs. Additionally, many TVs have video-off settings as well.
Restaurant Bag
Many families use screens to occupy their children’s attention while eating out, but TikToker @sandrosworld packs a “restaurant bag” to achieve that effect without the screen time. She fills the small bags with toys to entertain little ones, adding such things as wooden puzzles, suction cup toys, and fidget spinners.
Similar bags can be made for road trips and airplane travel. The toys will seem novel and will keep children entertained while you’re out eating or traveling.
Prioritize Family Meal Times
Sometimes screen-free means screen-free for all of us – including Mom and Dad. Pediatric occupational therapist @mamaot_shannon shared in a TikTok video that she thinks meal times should be bonding moments for parents and their kids. That means no screens for the kids, and no phones for the adults
She also recommended everyone eat together and eat the same foods. That way meal time is a shared, safe space for kids and adults.
Activity Options
If you’re struggling to find independent play activities for your little ones, TikToker @sharel.moore suggested items like magnetic tiles, Lego building bricks, and Play-Doh. These let your children express their creativity in open-ended ways. And @dremilylipinski recommended activity books with word puzzles, and mazes, as well as board games such as Monopoly Jr. and card games.
Plus, you can encourage outdoor play, helping out with chores, helping with meals, and other hands-on activities.
Let Them Be Bored
Giving your children some toys and activities instead of relying on screens is helpful, but don’t feel like you need to spend all day entertaining your little ones. As TikToker @mollyluttrell said in a video about her toddler’s screen-free routine, “I’m a very firm believer that one of the best, most valuable things we can do for our children development is let them be bored.” She added, “This is where his creativity thrives.”
We just need to give our kiddos a chance to flex those creative muscles.
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