If you have DC around 8-12, what non-screen self-led activities do they enjoy at home?

[CroccyWoccy]

My DC are starting to grow out of playing with toys and I’m struggling a bit with keeping them engaged at home without resorting to screens.

Whereas a year or so ago they’d gravitate to the toy cupboard when they got home from school, it’s now the Switch or TV that pulls them in.

So I’m looking for ideas for how to keep them off screens. If I have time I can get them engaged in cooking dinner or take them to the park or set up a board game with them. But when they’re left to their own devices…well they’re on their own devices! I want to try to break this habit before it’s all they’re interested in!

It's mostly playing outside, or sometimes they might play a game or do some sort of imaginary role playing thing with each other indoors (I have an 11 and 6 year old, so this is mostly the 11 year old playing these sorts of games - school, running a shop, etc. to humour the 6 year old). On more rare occasions, she would read or write a story, but reading/writing is more of a before bed activity and rare during the day. We are lucky to have a lot of outdoor space, so they can go outside to run around, trampoline, ride bikes, splash in a river, and still not leave our property.

Honestly though, if we are home and I need to be doing other things, working, sorting something out, household chores that are urgent, I don't have time to be supervising cooking or crafts, so they are on screens if not outside.

I know you said instead of screens but how about turning some of the screen time into more productive time?

So when they want screen time show them an art tutorial, stop start animation with their Lego, a quiz for everyone in the house or a dance or Zumba challenge?

My ten year old loves reading, making snacks, Lego, and some model making. He also enjoys the switch and Minecraft but to be fair he does sports four nights a week and sees his friends the other nights, so it usually weather that put screens in the mix.

Reading
Lego
Play games with each other, Exploding Kittens, Dobble, sometimes chess
Drawing and colouring
Take the ball outside
Listening to music

(There’s still constant complaints about being bored and seeking screens though - it’s not easy).

My DD has just turned 13 so discount my recommendations if you like but she wants to become a fashion designer and was given a practical book at Christmas time on sketching fashion designs, ever since she has sketched loads of designs. She is a talented Artist anyway and prior to the fashion and alongside it she draws and paints loads. She also buys vogue and looks for inspiration. She has piano lessons so practices loads as she enjoys playing. She likes reading not as much as she used to. She is now at an age where she goes to the park with her friends or for some lunch in town with them.

Cooking and making up food is a new internet as she health conscious and she has various things she likes to try out. She has a yoga mat in her bedroom and uses that every day in a routine.

DS is 17 now but in that age bracket his as still a huge Lego fan and set up lots of worlds where storylines would unfold, he was (and is) an avid reader and when he was 12 started to play football at the park after school with friends.

My nephew is in year 7 and he spends a lot of time on his silent drum kit with headphones in. Either that or outside ‘shooting hoops’. He gets quite stuck into graphic novels when we’re out and about with him and has mastered the Rubix cube.

Mine go out to play with their friends.

If the weather is bad Lego or craft.

My 11yo when told NO screen time will do crafts with posca pens, scrap book or reading, or will do a face mask and her skin care as she calls it. She will bake but likes me in the kitchen chatting away which isn't always possible.

Mine was doing lots of dance and drama at that age. Plus she used to read a lot. Baking a lot from around 11/12. Plus quite a lot of time doing stuff with her friends. She didn't actually spend a huge amount of time on screens at all tbh.

Mine is slightly older now but at that age I could rely on the following things to keep him entertained indoors:
Lego
K'Nex
Train set
Magnetic sets
Looking at maps and atlases
Reading
Cozmo Robot (comes with an app so some screen time involved).

We have dartboards & a mini pool table (£10 charity shop bargain!) in the playroom & mine love those, even the 15-year old.

My son is active so he will mostly be outside, mostly football with his friends or with the boy next door. Recently our neighbor broke her leg so he takes her dog for a run twice a day.
My daughter at that age liked making books, she loved pretty stationary and had nice handwriting so she would make books of family recipes and favourite song lyrics and things like that. She would draw pictures for them as well and liked drawing in general.

There is a monkey bars in our garden and both could spend hours on that, they used to make routines up with flips and things. Or just sit on the top chatting.

They also now both like the switch which I'm fine with after school as it is in the living room and more often then not they are playing together