TV-free Time for Tweens

Posted on December 23, 2019 by Sue Santiago

I have a 10 and 13 year old. They have two weeks off. I’ve got stuff to do. They don’t. In an effort to work smarter not harder, I tweaked this list to help keep my sanity at the start of winter break. Fix it to fit your family too. Here’s to helping our kids stay out of trouble. For the sake of their brains (and our composure) . . .

Learn solitaire
Read Ranger Rick or Game Informer
Gather your books. Which one should be read again?
Start a journal.
Listen to a book on CD.
Meditate.
Pack up too short pants.
Paint a picture.
Learn Tai Chi.
Make some jewelry.
Bake a cake.
Play a board game.
Visit the toy closet. What haven’t you used in a while?
Shoot some baskets.
Do some yoga.
Learn how to juggle.
Organize a space in your room.
Train the dogs.
Learn how to take a good photograph.
Cook something healthy.
Paint your nails.
Train for a 5K.
Clean out the car for your parents.
Write a note of encouragement.
Pull out shirts that no longer fit.
Get on wii sports or kids dance video games.
Make birthday cards.
Visit an elderly neighbor.
Learn some Spanish.
Soak your feet.
Learn a dance routine from You Tube.
Dance like nobody’s watching.
Do something kind for a family member.
Learn how to create a You Tube channel.
Pack a picnic.
Experiment with new hairstyles.
Grab a puzzle book.
Learn to crochet.
Ride a bike.
Volunteer to take a chore off your parent’s list (AKA brownie points!)
Pack some books into ziploc bags and hide throughout the community for others to find.
Cook something unhealthy. Oreo Pancakes?
Clean out your junk drawer.
Learn how to write calligraphy.
Go camping in your backyard.
Legos are fun at every age. Challenge yourself!
Sing karaoke.
Make a family tree.
Create your own trail mix.
Learn to knit.
Clean the yard. (Or other ways too earn some $$)
Turn rocks into paper weights.
Take a bubble bath.
Make up a silly story. Type it up, print it out, and make it into a book as a keepsake.
Roller skate.
Clean or organize the mess under your sink.
Go for a hike with your sketch book.
Do a puzzle.
Make s’mores.
Take a nap.
Go fishing.
Donate stuff to Goodwill.
Create origami animals.
Learn to sew.
Make a comic book.
Play with the dogs.
Go geocaching.
Go to the park.
Paint your toenails 10 different colors.
Create a D&D campaign or character.
Clean under your bed.
Make a video.
Go stargazing.
Make a menu plan for the week for Mom.
Build a tower with cards.
Clean your closet floor.
Give yourself a facial.
Read a new book.
Set goals for the next 90 days.
Sketch a scene you see or imagine.
Learn to play or practice an instrument.
Scrapbook or organize family photos.
Build a fort in the living room.
Create a writing code (ala Book Scavenger).
Go bird watching. Take pictures of the ones you spot. What kind were they?
Learn to whistle.
Nerf gun war!
Write a poem.
Bake cupcakes.
Make a domino course.
Rearrange and redecorate your bedroom.
Play hide-and-seek with the dog.
Walk the dog.
Balloon volleyball.
Call a family member (texting doesn’t count)
Start a gratitude journal.
Climb a tree.
Write a letter (snail mail)
Make a melted crayon artwork.
What gift have you never used?