8 Screen Free Kids Activities with Printables
In today’s digital world, screens are everywhere. So how can you get screen free kids activities when tablets, smartphones, and television dominate children’s attention, often leaving little room for creativity, imagination, or faith-based learning? As parents, it can feel overwhelming to find activities that keep kids engaged while also teaching them values and Bible truths.
The good news? Screen free kids activities are not only possible, they can be fun, educational, and spiritually enriching. With a few creative strategies, you can help your children learn about God, practice prayer, and develop important life skills — all without screens.
This post is packed with practical, hands-on ideas, tips for making activities enjoyable, and ways to weave faith into daily life. By the end, you’ll have a toolbox of activities that keep your kids busy, happy, and spiritually nurtured — plus ways to use coloring and creative exercises to teach prayer and Bible truths.
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Why Screen Free Kids Activities Are Important?
Before sharing specific screen free kids activities, it’s important to understand why screen free kids activities matter. Scree free kids activities allow for :
- Improved focus and attention: Screens often over-stimulate children’s brains, making it harder for them to concentrate. Screen free kids activities help kids slow down, focus, and engage more deeply.
- Enhanced creativity: When children aren’t following a screen, they are free to imagine, invent, and explore. Creativity is essential for problem-solving and independent thinking so screen free kids activities are important for building this.
- Better family connection: Screen free kids activities provide opportunities for shared experiences, conversations, and bonding.
- Faith formation: Many screen free kids activities can integrate prayer, Bible stories, and gratitude, helping kids develop a personal relationship with God.
Remember, you don’t need to eliminate screens completely. Even small blocks of screen-free time; say 30–60 minutes a day; can have a significant impact on your child’s development.
Screen Free Kids Activities-Bible Story Role-Play
Children naturally love storytelling and pretending. Bible story role-play allows them to experience God’s Word in a tangible way, helping them understand characters, plot, and moral lessons.
How to Do It:
- Pick a short Bible story appropriate for your child’s age. Examples: Noah’s Ark, David and Goliath, Daniel in the Lion’s Den.
- Use props you have at home: stuffed animals, cardboard boxes, or simple costumes.
- Encourage your child to act out the story or even create their own dialogue for the characters.
Benefits:
- Reinforces Bible lessons in a memorable way
- Improves communication and social skills
- Encourages imagination and independent thinking
Example:
A mother used toy animals to act out Noah’s Ark with her 4-year-old. After the role-play, they talked about God’s promises, then said a short prayer thanking God for animals and nature. The activity became a fun, interactive lesson in faith.
If you want to turn the role play into a games night you may find our games post useful.
Screen Free Kids Activities- Prayer and Gratitude
Screen-free time is perfect for teaching kids to pray and practice gratitude. Young children benefit from short, simple prayers, and hands-on activities make prayer tangible and engaging.
Ideas for Prayer Activities:
- Prayer Jars: Have your child write or draw prayers on slips of paper and place them in a jar. Pull one out each day to pray together.
- Prayer Walks: Take a walk and encourage your child to pray about the things they see — trees, birds, or neighbors.
- Gratitude Trees: Create a paper tree on a wall, and add leaves with things your child is thankful for. Pray over each leaf.
Using Coloring to Teach Prayer:
Our Prayer Coloring Book for Kids combines coloring with short prayers and Bible truths. Kids can:
- Color a picture
- Read or repeat a simple prayer
- Reflect on a Bible lesson
This makes prayer hands-on, fun, and memorable, while also reducing screen time and is one of the great screen free kids activities
Remember, even 10 minutes of prayer-based coloring each day can help establish a lifelong habit of connecting with God.
Screen Free Kids Activities- Arts and Crafts
Crafts are a natural way for kids to express themselves creatively while learning new skills. They’re perfect for screen-free time and can be tied to Biblical themes.
Faith-Based Craft Ideas:
- Creation Crafts: Use clay, paper, or recycled materials to make animals or plants, reinforcing the story of God’s creation.
- Noah’s Ark Models: Build a simple ark using popsicle sticks or cardboard, then role-play the story.
- Scripture Art: Write a favorite Bible verse on a poster board and let your child decorate it with markers, glitter, or stickers.
- Holiday crafts: Doing crafts related to holiday seasons is one of the great screen free kids activities. If you would like craft ideas based on the holiday season check out this post.
Tips for Success:
- Keep materials simple and safe for your child’s age
- Set up a dedicated craft space
- Incorporate prayer or Bible discussion during the activity
Story Example:
A parent had her child make a “Thankful Tree” using construction paper. Each leaf had something the child was thankful for, and they prayed over each leaf together. It became a weekly ritual, blending creativity, gratitude, and prayer.
Screen Free Kids Activities–Music and Singing
Music is a powerful learning tool. Singing Bible verse songs, or worship music can:
- Help children memorize Bible verses
- Teach faith concepts in a fun way
- Encourage joyful expression and participation
Screen-Free Music Activities:
- Have a mini family worship session at home
- Teach hand motions to go with songs
- Create homemade instruments like shakers or tambourines
Story Example:
A Sunday school teacher had children act out hand motions for the “Fruit of the Spirit” song. Not only did they memorize the fruits, but it also became a fun, interactive activity that reinforced Bible lessons. Here is a fruit of the spirit song for you. You can just play it in the background and allow your child to listen making it a screen free experience.
Screen Free Kids Activities-Nature Exploration
The outdoors provides endless opportunities for screen-free learning. Nature activities can be paired with faith lessons about God’s creation.
Ideas:
- Collect leaves or flowers and discuss how God created them
- Observe birds or insects and thank God for His handiwork
- Create a nature prayer journal: draw or write observations and pray about them
Remember that even a short backyard walk can turn into a meaningful spiritual experience when you focus on noticing God’s creation together.
Screen Free Kids Activities-Reading and Storytime
Books are a wonderful screen-free alternative, especially faith-based or Bible storybooks. Reading helps to:
- Build literacy skills
- Reinforce moral and Biblical lessons
- Encourage imagination
Screen-Free Kids Activities Involving Reading:
- Set a daily storytime ritual
- Use puppet shows or felt boards to make Bible stories interactive
- Discuss the story afterwards and ask your child to share a short prayer inspired by the story
Guess what, you can combine reading with other screen free kids activities such as coloring. For example, after reading a Bible story, your child can color a related page in the Prayer Coloring Book, reinforcing the lesson while practicing prayer and reflection.
Screen Free Kids Activities- Hands-On Learning Activities
Screen-free learning activities combine education and fun. Examples include:
- Counting and Sorting: Count Bible story characters or objects from nature
- Science Experiments: Explore God’s creation through simple experiments like growing plants or water play
- Memory Games: Match Bible characters or verses
These activities strengthen cognitive skills while keeping kids engaged without screens.
Screen Free Kids Activities-Family Game Nights
Games are a natural way to teach cooperation, problem-solving, and faith. You can get our free bible games night kit here. Faith-based games can:
- Include Bible trivia
- Use prayer prompts in turns
- Encourage sharing and gratitude
Example:
Create a “Prayer Dice” game: each side of a dice has a prompt like “Pray for a friend” or “Say thank you to God.” Roll the dice and follow the instructions together. For more games night ideas also check out our games night kit.
Establish a Daily Screen-Free Routine
The key to success with screen-free activities is consistency. Establish a daily routine:
- Morning: short prayer or devotional
- Midday: creative activity or craft
- Afternoon: outdoor exploration or storytime
- Evening: prayer and reflection or coloring
Having a simple chart or checklist to track daily activities. Children love seeing what they’ve accomplished!
Why the Prayer Coloring Book for Kids Works So Well?
Our Prayer Coloring Book for Kids ties many of these screen-free activities together:
- Interactive Prayer Practice: includes short prayers your child can read or repeat.
- Bible Truths: Simple Bible verses
- Creative Engagement: Coloring keeps kids focused, calm, and entertained.
- Flexible Use: Perfect for quiet time, homeschool, travel, or bedtime.
It’s an easy, fun, and effective tool for incorporating faith, prayer, and creativity into everyday life — all without screens.
You can get a physical copy of the Prayer coloring book here or download free prayer coloring pages here.
Screen Free Kids Activities
Screen free kids activities don’t have to feel like a struggle or chore. With a little planning, creativity, and intention, you can provide your children with:
- Meaningful spiritual growth
- Cognitive and creative development
- Fun, engaging, and memorable experiences
Incorporating role-play, crafts, music, outdoor exploration, and coloring activities — especially with tools like the Prayer Coloring Book for Kids that helps children develop a love for God, creativity, and independent prayer.
Even 10–30 minutes a day of intentional, screen-free activity can make a lifelong impact. By teaching children to engage with God and the world around them through fun, hands-on experiences, you’re helping them build habits that last a lifetime.
