No screen based activities for 8year old boy

[Ninbuscl]

So, my 8 year old has developed a habit of just wanting to watch tv (gamers on YouTube) or playing games in his iPad. I really struggle to convince him to do anything else. He will come off if I ask but then he just can’t think what to do and wanders around the house fiddling with stuff or pestering his sister. I know that sounds awful but he has never been interested in Lego or drawing (which his sister loves and will do for ages). He is sporty and will go out and play on trampoline or keepyups but that’s difficult in the winter when it is dark.

He does quite like cooking so I get him to help me sometimes. But I don’t always have the time or energy to supervise and clean up mess after cooking session. And he does like board games but that also requires someone to do that with him.

Does anyone have any other suggestions? I feel I am letting him down as he is developing a crutch for screens. I need to convince him to do an activity that is largely something he can do himself, to build up his concentration and other skills

Totally relate to your post OP. My 9yr old DS is the same and has been for a while, even though I’m fairly mean on screen time ie not at all during the week and time is limited at weekends. Sometimes I feel I’m shooting myself in the foot as it’s the only way I can get any quiet time to myself (single parent). He’s also outdoorsy and loves helping me cook but I can’t always face it! It’s really hard to get him to entertain himself when we’re at home and often it’s easier just to be out!!

2 things he does seem to like are drawing comic strips (I bought him a book from Amazon, which helps to set out characters), and also listening to podcasts/stories on an echo dot. Also, he does quite like reading (I’ve really tried hard to keep this up) - a couple of Top Gear annuals have recently gone down v well.

When the weather gets better, maybe a den kit if you’ve got any outside space. My son enjoyed making a den in the garden and hanging out in it - result!!

I make mine read a book or listen to the radio. We have a keyboard and I bought him some piano beginner books, so he potters around with that. Sometimes he goes outside for a 'workout', meaning pull-ups. He does origami and watercolor or oil pastels sometimes. Works on his term project for school. Sews with bits and bobs from my sewing box. Will take a tennis ball and racquet to knock the ball against a wall...

Would he be interested in other construction toys? Meccano? K-Nex? One of my nephews really was into making model boats at that age. Jigsaws? All quieter, indoor activities.

Would he enjoy a construction model such as an Airfix kit?

Reading. If he is a reluctant reader, try something like comics, or graphic novels. Or maybe non fiction.

Making a windowsill garden, and caring for the plants as an ongoing thing.

Knitting or crochet.

Does he know how to use a deck of cards? Could you teach him how to set up a game of solitaire (lots of versions to learn if he likes it)?

Thanks so much for the replies. I wasn’t sure if I would get any ! Yes some fab suggestions. I am all for “not stealing their boredom” as I think it is so important for them to find their own activities. My eldest has done this but my youngest not so much. He did in the past ask for a knitting set at Xmas which we got him but it was too difficult. Could maybe try that again. Liking the idea of an outdoor work out.

He used to do jigsaws but not sure I could convince him these days

I think reading is something we could work on. He will read at bedtime but not during the day for some reason. Ihateyoutube what podcasts/stories have you tried?

We had success with the blue peter badge in the summer so could maybe do more of those

It's not exactly what you're looking for but I will say to dd7 that she can only have restricted screen time ie she's only allowed to watch CBBC. Or yoga / workouts on YouTube. She usually finds something else to entertain herself!

Reading, teaching herself piano with a really annoying book with a keyboard attached, playing schools with dd5, laying out treasure hunts with clues, sticker books are all things she's done this weekend.

Screen addicts are often great at multitasking, they've sort of developed an ability to focus on lots going on at once. So my DD8 listens to an audiobook whilst playing with her dolls. Perhaps a jigsaw at the same time as an audiobook or podcast? Or something crafty like clay modeling?

A PP mentioned graphic novels, a few recommendations that my DD8 likes are the Bad Guys series, Looshkin, Bunny Vs Monkey and Teen Titans.

She also does search and find books a lot, not just Wheres Wally, theres all sorts like Catch The Creeper and Find the Unicorn etc.

I sometimes comprise on the screen time but they have to do something productive with the time, eg a touch typing game, coding on scratch or playing chess.

• Save boxes and get him to make them into a house/castle/car.
• Make his own jigsaw by sticking a large picture onto card, then he cuts it into shapes.
• French knitting doll, where you make a tube and then make the tube into a mat.
• Painting, using masking tape to criss cross the paper. Paint over it, let it dry, then peel off the masking tape.
• Reading together, one page each. Or one person reading the speech and another reading the narrative.
• Cut up felt into shapes to make a felt picture. Decorate with stick on stars etc.
• Make face masks.

DS is also 8 and spent loads of time on minecraft and youtube over lockdown. Once he went back to school we made him go cold turkey on youtube, there's now password access only. I also hide the mouse and keyboard on the desktop so he can't go on it at all before 5pm. That's enough time after getting home from school that he usually finds something else to do and forgets to ask for computer access until a bit later yet. It's not perfect but he's on the computer a lot less. Unlike his older sisters who are currently spending hours playing Among Us .

Art Ninja on CBBC has lots of brilliant creative ideas on things to make.

I know that’s on screen... But use it as a tutorial.

Same situation here :(

Some things my son does enjoy is GraviTrax (kind of pricey but good quality!) nerf guns with moving targets that make noise and keep score (Amazon) and Magformers. Even the knockoff magformers are great and connect to the real sets (half the price). He also likes building things using random bits of recycling and tape and scissors and string. He does still like Lego and we bought one of the giant base boards so he can build villages and stuff. He has a younger brother and sister so that forces him to play with toys a bit.

what about some indoor physical stuff where he can develop the skills on his own - learn to juggle, or darts? or pool if space/money permits. You can get smallish pool tables that are good to learn on because you have to be quite precise.

This is kind of still screen-related, but not quite the same! My DS2, who is 9, has recently started doing stop motion animation. He uses his tablet to take the photos & makes the figures out of Play Doh. So still using a screen but in a different way.

DS(9) has ASD, dyspraxia and dyslexia. It really cramps the range of interests for him in creativity, literacy and motor skills. He's also pretty mentally fried from school.

I'm getting them herded into to the soon after school to get them and their scooters around a range of parks through the week.

I really miss proper sports and activities out of the house for them. Both of mine focus better in a specific environment.

Oh yes we did stop motion in lockdown. That was good will try that again. We have darts and table football. And darts is great actually but he does need a chum to do it with normally. Not sure we have space for pool unfortunately.

I did wonder about a boxing bag but not sure we have the space for that either.

Thanks for all the suggestions I hope some others are finding them useful too

I will look up gravitrax. I must say one thing my kids are really great at is going out walking and we do that a lot together. But as soon as we get in the telly is onto YouTube before I manage to get my jacket off ! 😩

I can get my none arty kids to do origami, junk modelling and, surprisingly, giant dot-to-dots (1000).

They can surprise you sometimes with the things they like can’t they ?!

My 8 year old gets 20-30 mins screen time a week (earned through chores etc) which he usually spends on minecraft.

He chooses not to watch tv (he just never asks and isn’t interested) the rest of the time he does Lego, outside (a lot!), colouring, playing with 2 siblings, board games which he loves! Also likes playing cards, audio books (we have a subscription to audible and he enjoys David Walliams sometimes at the same time as colouring or Lego)

He plays the piano so practices that, he gets homework, reads, can now bake cookies with no help except lifting into the oven.

But we are out a lot with sports and hobbies which helps. He does cubs also.

If he fancied knitting but found it hard, he might like weaving or felt making? Both these were popular with one of mine, who then progressed to knitting about 11.

Sequin Art was a surprising hit. Also jigsaw puzzles, I got a 1000 piece Nintendo one as a bit of a joke. They loved it and have since done a couple more! I got a case so it can be folded up and stood against the wall. DD likes painting by numbers.