Creative Screen-Free Kid Activities
School is officially out for summer (at least here in the U.S.), which means many kids now have an abundance of time for fun and play. While it’s tempting to turn on the TV when boredom strikes or break out the tablet, nothing beats the creativity and contentment that comes from screen-free activities. Below, we’ve compiled some creative screen-free kid activities to add to your summer routines with the help of ICAN’s free daily programming.
Benefits of Screen-Free Activities for Kids
ICAN is not here to shame anyone who uses screens into their daily lives. We embrace the benefits of watching movies together as a shared family experience or playing a new, immersive video game. We also recognize the advantages of screen-free activities for mental, physical, and social development.
According to the National Library of Medicine, “Early learning is easier, more enriching and developmentally more efficient when experienced live, interactively, in real time and space, and with real people.” And according to a recent article from the Mayo Clinic, studies found that ample screen-free time in children is essential for building a sense of community and connection, which in turn has multiple benefits for their overall health.
Keep reading to learn about our favorite screen-free activities using ICAN’s daily playlist as a guide:
International Dance Hour – Morning Movement
Every day at 9 am, International Dance Hour features music from all over the world that is perfect for moving and shaking. This hour-long program offers cultural education for kids in a fun and engaging way. While you listen, how many dance moves can you invent? How many routines can you create? If the weather is nice, take your dance party outside with a portable speaker!
Looking for something physical to do in the afternoon as well? Tune in to ICAN at 1 pm to groove along with Dance Break, or try Up Beat and Move Your Feet! at 3:15 pm.
Colorful Compositions – Artwork Hour
Colorful Compositions, played every day at 2 pm, is an hour of music programmed to inspire children to create artwork. If you’ve ever wondered what “orange” or “blue” music might sound like, during this hour, you’ll hear music that illustrates every color of the rainbow. Grab your favorite art supplies, such as markers, paints, chalk, crayons, or even a pencil and paper, and discover what musical works inspire your art.
Winding Down – Writing & Quiet Crafts
As you begin winding down for the day, or maybe when you’re looking for a moment of calm before dinner and bedtime, tune in for Winding Down, a daily program from 5-6 pm featuring classic stories and international lullabies. This is a great opportunity to engage with something quiet and creative, such as writing a story or working on a craft.
Here are some of our favorite quiet activities to do in the evening:
Lastly, as an alternative to weekend cartoons, our special summer series, Saturday Morning Car-Tunes, is a fantastic radio program to sit back and enjoy as a family. Listen in on Saturdays from 8-10 am.
If you’d like to keep exploring creative screen-free kid activities with ICAN all year round, check out our full list of daily programs here.
