The school year ends, the temperature rises… and suddenly, you’re locked in a battle with a glowing rectangle. If you’re like most moms, summer brings a love-hate relationship with screen time. It keeps the peace for now—but comes with whining, attitude, and power struggles later.
If you’re tired of repeating “Go play!” only to be met with “There’s nothing to do,” it’s time to reboot your summer strategy.
Let’s talk about how to gently reduce screen time, spark imagination, and create a home that hums with creativity—not chaos.
Why Screens Become the Default in Summer
During the school year, your child’s day is filled with structure, social interaction, and extra-curricular activities. Summer removes all of that in one swoop, and unless we intentionally replace it, kids will naturally reach for the easiest dopamine hit: screens.
You’re not a bad mom for letting them watch, and they’re not bad kids for wanting it. But as we know, kids are much healthier without being exposed to screens for an excessive amount of time, so instead of feeling guilty and just letting them be on their devices, let’s make a game plan to keep them busy with other healthier tasks.
Step 1: Create a “Boredom Buster Bin”
This is your secret weapon. A boredom buster bin is a simple collection of open-ended play materials that invite creativity.
Include things like:
- Pipe cleaners, clothespins, googly eyes
- Notepads, markers, glue sticks
- Legos, Play-Doh, magnetic tiles
- Recycled boxes, paper towel rolls
- Board games appropriate for your kids’ ages
- Books they’ll enjoy reading
- Puzzle books filled with crosswords, word finds, sudoku, dot-to-dots, and other age-appropriate activities
- Coloring book and markers, colored pencils, pens, and/or crayons
- Canvases and paints
This bin does not have to be expensive, but it should have multiple things for them to easily access and can use on their own. Giving them a designated area for arts and quiet time is also a way for them to reset their minds, knowing that these spaces are designated for creativity, mess, and contentment.
Step 2: Set Up Screen-Free Zones & Times
Instead of going cold turkey and removing devices altogether, which tends to lead to meltdowns, define certain times and places that are screen-free.
Try these simple steps instead of drastically eliminating screens 100%:
- No screens before noon
- No screens in bedrooms
- Screen-free meals
When boundaries are clear and consistent, kids adjust faster than you think.
If you’re looking for that extra bonus of having kids clean around the house or partake in activities that will give them movement, grab my free Daily Checklist for Screen Time printable. This checklist gives kids a focus on what activities need to be done before they can engage with electronics. Some of the items include social activities, movement, and chores.
Step 3: Encourage Social Play and Connection
Screens isolate people, but summer should be about a time to connect with our friends and family. We aren’t stuck in the classroom all day, so we want our kids to continue to grow through face-to-face playdates and hangouts.
If you are in a neighborhood, talk with the other moms to coordinate a time when all of the kids can meet outside to start a game of wiffle ball or tag. As an added bonus, teach the kids your childhood games you used to play with your neighborhood crew. Call it “vintage” since it’s all the rage right now!
Other ideas you can talk with moms about are:
- Rotating playdates with neighbors or cousins.
- Weekly water play days. Set up a sprinkler or go to your local pool if you don’t have your own. You could also set up a slip and slide or fill water balloons.
- Shared “invention challenges” (like building the tallest tower or best cardboard car)
- Sign up your child and a friend for a summer camp. There are typically a lot of opportunities through your local YMCA, library, or school. In our area, we have art, STEM, cooking, career, and acting camps, in addition to others I’ve seen advertised in local Facebook groups.
Do you have a more introverted kid? Try cooperative activities like puzzles, board games, or sidewalk chalk murals where they can coexist with others without high pressure.
I personally have found it very difficult to get kids together to play due to extremely busy activities. It’s really important to carve time in your schedule to ensure we are fostering our kids’ childhoods and not just driving them from one place to another to try to fill up as much of our day as possible with activities that aren’t super meaningful.
Step 4: Reframe Boredom as a Gift
Yes, they’ll say, “I’m boooored,” multiple times a day, but instead of panicking or offering a screen, encourage them to come up with a business idea or invention. Have them go back to the Boredom Buster Bin. Challenge them to write a story. Teach them to journal. Set a timer and have them sit silently, thinking about the quiet and how it shuts off their brain.
Boredom leads to the most creative ideas we’ve had in our world, so foster that and give your children a challenge to make the most of the downtime they’ve been given. If they do come up with a really creative idea, it’s our duty to listen to their presentation or look intently when they show us.
Final Thoughts: Small Shifts Make Big Impact
You don’t have to ban screens forever or entertain your kids 24/7. It’s important that we make intentional space and time for imagination and connection, and this can be done with a healthy balance of electronics and video games. Like all new habits, we need to start small, pick one idea first to try and just get started, and once they understand that summer will be minimal screen time, you can slowly add on other ideas to build their repertoire of other activities.
Don’t be afraid of pushback. Of course kids are going to give you a hard time at first, but if you stick to the plan, offer suggestions on play and social activities, be consistent, and help them take part in other enjoyable events, they will not be asking for screens any longer because kids have a natural tendency to want to be kids. So enjoy your summer. Boredom isn’t the enemy…it’s the beginning of something brilliant! Let your home buzz with creativity, not devices.
As always, I’m here to support you on your journey of creating beauty and order in a chaotic world. Feel free to check out my other resources on my website at thecraftybcompany.com, sign up for our mailing list (you’ll get a free 4 week meal planner with recipes), or contact me if you’re interested in support with personalized consultation. Don’t forget to pollinate joy to others who may find this blog helpful, and be sure to like and subscribe on my social media channels so I can continue to make content for you and others. Take care.
