Fun Offline Activities For Kids
There are many offline activities that kids can do, from coloring to doing jigsaw puzzles, dressing up, doing riddles, going to the park and much more. These alternatives are also very healthy and kids enjoy them much more than staring at a screen all the time.
As you know technology will not disappear, but childhood is short. However, tablets, computers, phones and smart TVs are common distractions in this childhood. However, they do not stimulate creativity and do not provide children with certain experiences, training and cognitive development.
20 offline activities for kids
First of all, it is reasonable to use the Internet as a form of entertainment. However, it becomes a problem when the child becomes dependent on it for distraction. It also poses a risk because of online abuse and other ways of under-utilization, according to a study published by the Journal of the Institute of Legal Research.
Therefore, in this article, we will give you 20 ideas for offline activities. By putting these into practice, you can ensure that your child gains motor skills as well as learns to work and think together. So read on quickly!
1. Separating objects
This is a fun activity for one to two year olds and develops skills they will need later. Teach them to classify and separate objects instead of giving them a tablet to entertain them with videos.
- Pillows, stuffed animals or plastic blocks are ideal for this.
- Then have them sort them by color, size, or type.
2. Target Exercises
For this you need an empty toilet roll that you can decorate with your child. Then let your child throw wads of paper into the opening of the roll from a distance. Stimulate healthy competition and whoever manages to throw the most wads into the role wins.
3. Paper balls and straws
Are you looking for a simple and fun game? Here’s one. All you need is some old (colored) paper and straws. The number depends on how many participants you play this game with.
- Make several balls of paper and mark the start and finish lines with other toys or, for example, a pair of shoes.
- The object of the game is to blow the paper ball with the straw to the finish.
- Whoever crosses the finish line first wins. Design a special race track and blow the balls over it for more thrills.
4. Find the treasure
Design a treasure map and hide a prize somewhere in your house. The goal is for the child to find the treasure by following the clues on the treasure map. Reversing the roles is also exciting: parents can go looking for a treasure their child has hidden.
5. Origami
Origami is great for learning some basic skills, according to the article published by the magazine Ciencias de la Eduación of the Universidad de Carabobo (Spanish link).
You don’t even need scissors or glue for this activity, just some patience. In addition to online tutorials, there are books that will teach you paper folding techniques to create many shapes such as:
- animals
- airplanes
- cars
- hearts
6. The Family Quiz
Make up a trivia-style game with facts about the family so you can get to know each other even better. Write the questions on cards, shuffle them and take turns asking each other a question. Whoever has the most correct answers wins. You can also choose a topic that is of interest to everyone.
7. Theater
Every family has one or more artistically inclined members. Express this by organizing small shows in which the children can perform for their parents.
- Think, for example, of dancing to music, acting, singing, puppet shows, googling, and so on.
- This is not only an opportunity to exercise creativity, but also to deal with stage fright.
8. Cooking together
Come up with recipes using the ingredients in your pantry or make something you both enjoy, whether it’s baking cookies or decorating a cake. Kids will love this offline activity.
9. Letter game
This is a game that consists of randomly selecting a letter to start and writing down a word for each of the 5 categories starting with that letter. Each word is worth 100 points, but if two contestants use the same word, that word is only worth 50 points. As you can guess, whoever has the most correct words in the least amount of time wins.
10. Board games
These are a classic and there is a game for everyone and every age. Your kids can even invite their friends over and play board games all afternoon when they’re a little older.
11. Bowling
For this bowling game you need empty plastic bottles to serve as the pins and a ball to knock them over. Decide how many turns there will be and come up with a scoring system. You can make up the rules yourself.
12. Circuit Training
Set up a circuit for sit-ups, jumping jacks, and other simple exercises. It will improve your health and the kids will have fun with these offline activities. It is also a very suitable activity on a rainy day if your kids have a lot of energy!
13. Science Experiments
Science experiments will stimulate a child’s ability to create things in a fun way using information from chemistry and physics. First, determine which science project you can do at home, as you may need to look it up online first. There are even special newsletters available!
14. Recycle
First explain the importance of recycling and then motivate the children to reuse certain waste materials to make simple but fun toys.
15. Tongue Twisters
The Spanish foundation Fundación Ayuda en Acción (Spanish link) emphasizes the benefits of tongue twisters for children as improving vocabulary, memory and interest in language, among other things. So make a nice list and practice it.
16. Relaxation Exercises
Yoga and meditation can help children channel their energy. They are breathing and relaxation methods that greatly benefit health and help improve their mood.
17. Read
This is one of the most important offline activities you can encourage and it should be an important habit. Alternate stories and books on specific topics that might spark their interest.
18. Word Games
In this game, the first player says a word and the other player adds a word that begins with the last syllable of the previous word. Complete each lap without anyone getting stuck or taking too long to continue. With twos and threes you can also do 2 rounds.
19. Obstacle Course
Create an obstacle course in the house and come up with a challenge to complete. The winner is the one who completes the obstacle course the fastest. Use everything that is available for this, such as:
- furniture
- pillows
- sheets over the drying rack to crawl under
- toys
20. Cleaning up
Finally, we would like to advise you to involve your children in cleaning up the house. They should be allowed to participate in household chores from an early age. You can give them chores like:
- mop.
- to wash up.
- fold the laundry.
- take out the garbage.
In addition, get them used to occasionally checking which toys they no longer use and give them away. It’s a great way for them to work together and learn to make choices to make room for other things in the house.
The importance of offline activities for children
Offline activities are great for learning and developing physical, emotional and social skills. So give them the freedom to explore the great outdoors and allow contact with nature and others around them. This is useful for the following reasons:
- First of all, because offline activities help children overcome their fears.
- That way they also learn to relate and share.
- It also encourages collaboration and leadership.
- Moreover, they give free rein to their imagination.
- Finally, they become more independent.
Alternative offline activities to entertain kids
A world geared to technology makes it nearly impossible to keep kids away from screens, especially when there are so many fun movies and series available. Therefore, it is not a matter of keeping them completely off the Internet, but of limiting the time they spend there and supervising what they are doing.
Finally, give them a reasonable amount of time to be online as well as to plan activities with family, friends or spend time outdoors without a tablet, computer or phone. Plus, show them how much they can learn and enjoy offline activities.
