Seven Screen-Free Activities To Do at Home This Summer

In a time with constant screens and digital distractions, it feels impossible to get ourselves – or our kids – out of the house and into nature.

Part of the joy of FoodPrints, our food and garden education program, are the moments when students take a break from indoor and virtual learning and are brought out to the garden. When students harvest lettuce from their school garden and say, “why is this so fun?” it reminds both adults and young learners alike that connecting with the outdoors brings so much joy—sometimes it just takes a new activity to rekindle that thrill.

Here are a few activities that can awaken this connection between us and our surroundings—whether in the kitchen, outside in the park, or walking on the sidewalk—the possibilities for screen-free activities are endless!

1. Visit a local FRESHFARM market. With this Market Veggie Bingo, you can engage in a market scavenger hunt while exploring the bounty of local farmers around the DC area! Live in another region? Check out Local Harvest to find a farmers market near you.

2. Sprout seeds. Turn your pantry items into a home garden with a simple seed sprouting. By using common household-found seeds like beans, popcorn, rice, or whole spices, you can create a miniature garden in a cup with a wet paper towel! Watching the seeds grow roots and sprout in your own home can be a rewarding way to witness the plant life cycle begin.

3. How long do things take to decompose? Young students are fascinated by the concept of decomposition. A fun way to get them involved is to create a game out of this natural process with this decomposition quiz.

4. What exactly is soil? The soil under our feet holds so much to discover (some estimates say one teaspoon of topsoil contains around 1 billion individual microscopic cells and around 10,000 different species!). With this Sensory Soil Activity, get a scoop of soil, and use your five senses to explore the world beneath us!

5. Nature bracelets. Grab a piece of tape long enough to wrap around your wrist, take a walk around the block or park, and create your own nature bracelet! Attaching pieces of grass, sticks, flower petals and any other piece of nature you find on your walk.

6. Dressing challenge! Using what’s already in your pantry: kids can make their own salad dressing with our Salad Dressing Challenge. With this recipe game kids can have fun creating their own recipes for dressing and get excited about being innovative in the kitchen.

7. Let’s cook! FoodPrints recipes are an opportunity to learn new skills while having fun in the kitchen! Try these easy-to-follow videos to build your confidence as a chef and whip up some Fried Rice for the Family.