12 ways to get your kids to unplug from screens and save money this summer

The Sun

24-07-2025

THE summer holidays can be long and expensive – and finding extra
money for days out is often tough for families.
Occupying children with screen time may feel like the easy option
but there are better solutions, as new book How To Unplug Your Child reveals.
1
The guide, by parenting expert Liat Joshi, is full of cheap and easy ways to keep kids amused without them getting square eyes.
Liat said: 'All the activities are free or require fairly minimal equipment.
"Some activities will be one-offs, but hopefully others become firm favourites."
Have a bath at the wrong time
Having a bath at completely the wrong time of day, with no rush to get to bed afterwards, keeps small children content when it's chucking it down outside and they've already watched quite enough TV.
Part of the appeal is that it's completely free — aside from the bath water — and can be done any time, but you can add variety and extra interest by buying some cheap, non-toxic bath goo, crayons or special mouldable foam soap.
What you'll need:
A bath
Some waterproof toys and containers
Create a time capsule
Give your child a box file to decorate and fill it with lists of their dreams and goals to open 10 years later.
They can also add photos and mementos of their life.
It must then be well sealed and hidden away by a parent ready to be opened in the future.
Freebies for parents worth £2,900
What you'll need:
Pens and paper
A box
Sticky tape
Some photos
Photoshoot with friends
Stage a themed photoshoot where kids have to gather props and costumes, and make a temporary backdrop on a wall or booth.
This requires plenty of preparation, and you can theme the shoot around vintage, grunge, silly hats, clashing clothing or maybe a favourite book or film.
What you'll need:
A white bed sheet, or large roll of paper for the backdrops
Fabric/marker pens to make scenes
Masks, specs, interesting tops – try raiding the charity shop or their grandparents' attics
For a simple alternative, everyone draws a face/shoulders self-portrait on A4 paper then positions it in front of their face for a snap
Power off for a night
As a one-off, powering down gadgets , lights and the TV can tick boxes for its novelty factor.
Allow only wind-up torches and candles (supervised for younger ones), then grab a pack of cards or some board games and tell spooky stories.
If the budget allows, have a takeaway dinner — after all, the oven will be out of bounds, too.
What you'll need:
Candles and torches
Games that don't require mains electricity - a lesson for kids on how reliant we have become on it
Film your own music video
Putting together a music video lets kids explore their style while they rock on.
They can choose outfits, come up with a dance routine, mime a favourite soundtrack or sing or play instruments if they have them.
Alternatively, they could make their own cardboard instruments or fire up the 'air guitar'.
What you'll need:
Instruments and soundtracks, if appropriate
Outfits and accessories
Materials and props to make a set
A camera for filming
Garden camping
Enjoy all the upsides of camping (the fresh air and the novelty!) minus the communal bathrooms and forgetting to take the tent pegs.
An evening toasting marshmallows on a campfire or barbecue and telling stories by torchlight has a fighting chance of getting kids to leave those screens inside (hide them and turn your router off if necessary).
What you'll need:
A garden or, if you don't have one, persuade the grandparents or some friends to host
Typical camping gear - buy second-hand or borrow to cut costs
Water fun
Grab some water pistols, soak a few kitchen sponges in a bucket, make water balloons, turn that garden sprinkler on (provided there isn't a hosepipe ban), then chuck the kids outside in their swimwear on a hot day and await the soggy mayhem.
What you'll need:
Water pistols, balloons, sponges, hosepipe and sprinkler
Towels for afterwards
For more fun, see how many times each water balloon can be thrown before it bursts
The 'What's Missing' game
Collect at least 10 random, small objects on a tray, ask one player to study them, then remove one item when they aren't looking and ask them to identify what has disappeared.
Encourage children to find several similar, but slightly different, items to add to the challenge.
What you'll need:
A tray and some objects
You can also do this on a whole room scale – ask a player to step outside then move or hide an item.
Trail about town
Write clues and riddles about the local area which lead players to a mystery destination, such as a cafe or ice cream parlour.
What you'll need:
Imagination to write the clues
An accompanying adult for each team of younger children
This can also liven up sightseeing on holidays or days out
Head off on a night hike a forest
A forest or woodland comes alive in a different way after sunset.
Creep around by torchlight and see if there are nocturnal creatures about.
Look at how very different things seem by moonlight and marvel at the starry sky.
This is better suited for older children as little ones might be
too weary by bedtime.
What you'll need:
Torches
A suitable location
The opportunity to sleep later
Whatever the season and weather, there are different sights and sounds to be seen and heard after dark compared to day.
Geocaching
This modern take on a treasure hunt is a popular way to liven up hiking, as you search for a "cache" hidden by others.
When you find it, sign the logbook, take an item and replace it with one you have brought along.
There are lots of caches around and each has information online, often with details of whether it's child-friendly and the difficulty of finding it.
Although geocaching requires the use of a gadget, it helps the user get out in the real world.
It's a wonderful family activity, but older teens can do it, too.
What you'll need:
A geocache app and GPS facility on a smartphone
A 'cache' item, such as a small pack of cards or toy, to replace the one you take (or you can just leave the original behind)
Visit a 'Pick your own' Farm
Treat kids to some fresh air and a reminder that food doesn't magically appear on supermarket shelves, all in one package.
"Pick your own' fruit and veg farms are at their best in summer and early autumn, and most provide information on what's available for harvesting.
Even better, the produce is fresh.
What you'll need:
Some money to pay for produce – most farms provide bags or
containers
Suggest older offspring research dishes they can cook with the fruit or veg they picked.
This is an edited extra taken from How To Unplug Your Child: 101 Ways To Help Kids Turn Off Their Gadgets And Enjoy Real Life, by Liat Joshi (Vie, £7.99).