With all the uncertainty in the world today, many of us are still unsure what back-to-school will look like, but what we do know, is that it will be a different version of “normal.”
Whether you end up home schooling, remote learning or a hybrid system, it’s so important for our kids to put down their devices, and incorporate play and “brain breaks” into their daily schedule – to ensure they’re moving their bodies, getting fresh air, and using their imaginations.
While screen-time can have a purpose (hello, Zoom calls!), it’s all too easy for kids to rely on their devices for 24/7 entertainment. Even at home, kids need lots of screen-free breaks. That’s why we’ve partnered with Nature’s Bakery to help get your kids excited to put down their devices, and up and moving, by bringing recess activities directly to your front door.
Nature’s Bakery is providing families like yours with incredible Recess in a Box kits that give you everything you need, from supplies to snacks, for screen-free fun.
In addition, Nature’s Bakery has created an incredible resource called “Snack Sized Adventures” that provides you with over 100 screen-free activities you can do with your kids at home – all of them are easy-to-plan and extremely engaging. We’ll be highlighting some of our favorites ideas you can try out the next time you want your child to put down their device for some tech-free fun.
PIN for when you need ideas for screen-free time:
RECESS AT HOME – MADE EASY!
Active and engaging breaks are just as important for kids as schoolwork, so we suggest building in several long “recess” breaks into your at-home school schedule. This should be a time for your kids to get outside, burn some energy and put their imaginations to work.
Nature’s Bakery has made it easier than ever to do just this, with their Recess in a Box kit.
And guess what!?
We’re giving away these kits to 10 lucky readers! Check out our Instagram post for more details. You can also sign-up here for a chance to get all the supplies and activities you need, right to your front door! FOR FREE! The Recess in a Box includes everything you need from fun to fuel:
- Sidewalk Chalk
- Cones
- Bouncy Balls
- Bean Bags
- Rings
- Masking Tape
- Mesh Bag
- Magnetic Shopping List
- Nature’s Bakery Fig Bars
+ there’s these amazing Activity Cards which lists engaging ways to use these supplies with your kids. There are ideas for activating your child’s imagination with Sidewalk Chalk (ask them to draw their dream house!), building an epic Adventure Obstacle Course, or creating your very own Bean Bag Olympics.
Use the included chalk and bean bags from the Recess kit to make this fun “Target Practice” game!
And of course, all this fun will require fuel – but the Recess in a Box kit has you covered: it also includes a snack! Along with all the get-active goodies, you’ll also receive a few boxes of delicious Nature’s Bakery Fig Bars.
These are some of our all-time favorite snacks for our kids. We love that they’re made with wholesome ingredients like sun-ripened fruit and hearty whole grains. They’re soft-baked with no GMOs or high-fructose corn syrup, and they’re plant-based, vegan, and nut/dairy/soy free! And most importantly, they get 5-star ratings on the delicious scale from our kids.
MORE SCREEN-FREE ACTIVITIES FOR KIDS
If you’re looking for even more ideas to keep your kids active and entertained during this back-to-school season, we have yet another easy solution: Snack Sized Adventures.
Snack Sized Adventures are bite-sized family activities curated by Nature’s Bakery that are easy-to-plan, accessible, and above all, meant to get the whole family together for a feel-good dose of tech-free fun.
Simply scroll through the website to access over 100 ideas that will turn “I’m boreds” into smiles. You can even “favorite” ideas to save them, see how much time they’ll take, how much mess they may make, how much energy your kids will burn, and if they’re for indoor vs. outdoors. Some of our favorites include:
PLAY TIC-TAC-TOE FOR GIANTS
Is the board really big or are we really small? Make a giant Tic-Tac-Toe grid out of wide tape, then stand back and play with bean bags.
SIDEWALK CHALK ADVENTURES
Turn your sidewalk into a canvas with this 3-ingredient sidewalk paint using water, cornstarch, and food coloring. Mix them all together and get your outdoor art on!
CREATE A FAMILY PORTRAIT MUSEUM
Half the fam grabs some paper and pencils. The other half serves as models. Draw the most realistic version you can of your model’s face, or get totally artsy with it!
BUILD A TREASURE CHEST
Give each kid a piece of paper and have them write down their current likes, dislikes, goals, and hobbies. Then, put it all in an old shoebox they can decorate like a treasure chest. Bury your chest in the backyard and open it a year from now to see how much has changed.
PRETEND YOU’RE IN AN ACTION MOVIE
Create a “laser” maze using crepe paper, string, or rope in the hallway. Challenge the kids to make it from one side to the other without touching the lasers.
CREATE A VISION BOARD
Let your kids bring their dreams to life with vision boards. Vision boards help kids set goals, feel motivated, and express themselves. Provide paint, markers, pictures, magazines, newspapers and anything else you have on hand, then let your kids’ imaginations get to work.
GUESS THE SOUND
Explore the art of sound design by seeing who can make the strangest noise using everyday objects in the house. Have players guess what made the noise.
GIANT CHOPSTICKS CHALLENGE
For this game you’re going to need some hula hoops and some pool noodles, AKA your chopsticks. Each kid gets a chopstick. The goal is to work in pairs to move everyday household objects, like a soccer ball or pillow, from one hoop to the other without dropping them.
HAVE AN INDOOR TREASURE HUNT
Argh, matey! Let your inner pirate out to play with an indoor treasure hunt. Appoint one small item as the “treasure” (a coin, button, or thimble will do). The pirate who is “it” hides the treasure and draws a map with clues as to where it’s hidden. The skallywag who finds the treasure becomes “it” and gets to hide the item next.
ADVENTURE OBSTACLE COURSE
Use the supplies from the Recess Kit and anything else you can think of to create an obstacle course. Then, have the kids race through it and see who’s the fastest! Winner gets a Nature’s Bakery Fig Bar, of course.For tons more screen-free ideas to get your kids bodies and imaginations ticking, visit the Snack Sized Adventures site. And don’t forget to enter to win your very own Recess in a Box kit on our Instagram page today!
Thanks again to our partner Nature’s Bakery for making delicious and wholesome snacks for our kids, and for providing parents with an easy way to make our back-to-school-at-home easier!
