1. Ride their bikes. If that sounds boring, go outside with them and set up an obstacle course in the driveway to make it more interesting - make them go around the trashcan, follow a jump rope laid out in a curvy line, go around a car, have them toss a rock in a bucket when they ride by - the possibilities are endless!
2. Sidewalk chalk and sidewalk paint. See how big they can draw a flower/tree/cloud; who can make the most unusual looking bug; play tic-tac-toe; practice this week’s spelling words from school.
3. Go for a walk around the neighborhood. Now I realize this may have to be a short walk if you live in a snowy climate. Look for special signs of nature - a squirrel digging for nuts, a bird chirping in a tree, dripping icicles (or what are icicles stuck to), notice which trees still have leaves and which ones don’t, any shiny rocks on the ground? berries on a bush? Take some of nature home with you and put it in a bowl on the dinner table to remind you of your walk later!
4. Build a fort out of sofa cushions, chair pillows, blankets, and more! Anything (coloring, reading, playing a board game) is more fun inside a fort!
5. Play in the tub. So often, our family gets hurried after dinner and the kids get short-changed on playing in the tub for a while. Don’t wait until “bath time;” let the kids hop in mid-afternoon and play to their hearts content (just keep some extra towels nearby for the splash zone). Take a good book or a magazine to entertain yourself while you supervise small children (and maybe even an umbrella 
).
6. Candyland anyone? Maybe Monopoly is more your speed? Grab your favorite board game and roll the dice for some fun. Team up with younger children so they can play too. One of our favorites for our brew of 4 (ages one to eight) is Uno - the oldest can handle his own cards and knows what to play when; we help the five- and three-year-olds by suggesting colors and numbers for them to play; the youngest gets to”help” put the cards in the pile).
7. Pretend play - dress up with your kids, be a character in their “charade” (you might even be able to pick a character that still allows you to vacuum or fold laundry or read a book). Get out the kitchen toys and have them whip up a delicious snack for you! Have them doctor their babies with the doctor kit.
8. Cook something together in the kitchen - cookies, brownies, pizza, tacos, even playdough.
9. Household jobs. Now, I’m not just saying this because I’m running out of ideas and not quite to number 10 yet. I think it’s good for kids to have responsibilities around the house, and I also think it’s important to balance play with work (although work can be fun too!). So play for a while, but then take a break - see how many jobs your kids can get done before the timer goes off in 10 minutes (15 or 20 minutes for older kids); cheer them on as the minutes tick away!
10. READ!! Nothing says love and quality time more than snuggling up together with a good book! Everyone can read their own book snuggled in front of the fire together, or you can have each child pick a favorite or two for you to read aloud. When our kids start acting too “spastic,” all I have to do is grab a couple of books and sit down on the sofa. Before too long, I have a quiet and attentive audience.
What do you and your kids do instead of screen time? I’d love to hear your ideas!
