10 Tips for Creating a Tech-Free Childhood

Screens are everywhere these days. From toddlers in shopping carts, to one-to-one ipads in elementary schools, technology has crept into every corner of childhood. Parents often feel helpless, as if keeping kids off screens is a losing battle.

But it doesn’t have to be that way. As an art teacher, a school board member, and a mom, I’ve seen firsthand how much kids thrive when they’re given space to create, imagine, and play without the constant pull of devices. Over the years, I’ve made intentional choices to raise my kids tech-free, and while it isn’t always easy, it’s absolutely worth it.

Here are 10 practical tips that have worked for our family, small shifts that can help you reclaim childhood from screens and make space for creativity, connection, and joy.

1. Create Creative Stations at Home

Instead of a charging station for devices, set up creative stations around your house:

• Art station: Keep paper, colored pencils, paints, and scissors within easy reach.

• Building station: Blocks, Legos, or cardboard boxes can spark hours of play.

• Music corner: A keyboard, ukulele, or tambourine invites kids to experiment.

• Book baskets: Place baskets of books in every room, so reading becomes the natural go-to instead of grabbing a device. (Yes, even in the bathroom!)

  
  

2. Get a Home Phone and Delay Watches and Cell Phones

A simple home phone helps kids stay connected without the constant pull of personal devices. If even one or two friends have a home phone too, children can still chat and make plans without needing their own phones.

3. Get Kids Outside to Play

Keep plenty of options for outdoor fun: a box of balls, sidewalk chalk, cardboard boxes, or a neighborhood basketball hoop. When the tools for play are ready and available, kids naturally drift outside to invent their own games. I remind my kids daily to go outside and play!

4. Avoid the Kindle and iPad – Invest in Real Books

Children don’t really need their own tablet. Because it opens the whole online world, it can quickly become a distraction to real life. Instead, build a family library. Save a tablet for occasional travel, but let real books be the daily habit.

5. Carry Creativity With You

When my kids were little, we went everywhere with flashcards, markers and playdough tucked in my bag. At restaurants, instead of handing them a screen, I’d hand them paper or playdough. They’d draw silly unicorns, design ice cream machines, or we would take turns developing silly drawings as a family. See this post about a restaurant survival bag!

Downtime can become creative time. As my kids got older, they swapped the crayons for novels, but the habit of filling waiting moments with imagination stuck with them.

6. Let Boredom Do Its Job

When kids say “I’m bored,” it's actually a positive sign! Boredom isn’t the enemy, it’s the spark. Given time, kids invent forts, puppet shows, games and entire adventures. Let boredom do its quiet work of stretching creativity.

7. Model the Lifestyle You Want Them to Have

Children mirror us. If we’re glued to our phones, they will be too. But if we read, paint, walk, or talk face-to-face, they’ll soak up those habits. Create tech-free rhythms for the whole family.

I’ll be honest: my biggest struggle is leaving my phone in my “office” instead of keeping it nearby. But when I keep it out of sight, I notice I give my kids more attention, the kind of attention they truly crave.

My suggestion, turn off unnecessary notifications and find a place outside of the main living area to keep your phone.

8. Make One Night a Week Tech-Free Family Night

Designate one night a week where everyone unplugs. Take turns choosing the activity, from making homemade pizzas, to game night, to an evening walk. When kids see that fun can be created without screens, it becomes something they look forward to. Create a family list of screen-free activities and keep it posted where everyone can see.

9. Make Family Outings Device Free

Leave devices at home (or in the car) during hikes, beach days, or weekend adventures. And yes, that includes parents too. Kids notice when the whole family is present and engaged, and that’s when the best memories are made.

10. Build Tech-Free Rituals into Daily Life

Protect certain times of day as completely screen-free, such as mealtimes, the morning routine, or the hour before bed. These rituals create dependable pockets of connection and calm that kids can count on. Children thrive when they know they have our full attention, even in ordinary moments.

Bonus Tip: Speak Up at School Board Meetings

Creating a tech-free home is powerful, but it’s only part of the picture. Our kids spend most of their waking hours in classrooms, and that’s where screens are becoming the default. It’s okay to ask your school district to dial back the tech. In the youngest grades, push for no devices at all in K–2. Those early years are best spent with crayons, blocks, picture books, music, and play. For older grades, advocate for less reliance on apps and more time with real books, art, music, outdoor learning, and hands-on projects. Research shows children comprehend and remember more when reading physical books compared to screens, and we all know from experience that devices are as much a distraction as they are a tool.

When parents speak up, schools pay attention. If families clearly say they want fewer devices and more human connection in classrooms, districts will shift. Children benefit most when both home and school protect their creativity, focus, and joy, and that means being brave enough to say less ed-tech, more real life.

Final Thought

Creating a tech-free home doesn’t mean rejecting the modern world, it means protecting what matters most in childhood: imagination, focus, and real connection. These small habits add up. Over time, they build a family culture where kids know how to make their own fun, reach for books, and enjoy being together without needing a screen.

It won’t always be perfect, there will be moments when boredom feels unbearable or when screens sneak back in, but that’s okay. The goal isn’t perfection, it’s intention. By choosing tech-free rhythms, you’re giving your children something priceless: the space to dream, invent, and grow into who they’re meant to be.

What about you? Do you have tech-free habits or family traditions that have worked in your home? I’d love to hear your ideas in the comments.