With a world increasingly saturated in new technology, our current and future generations find it more challenging to stay away from screens and absorb real life happening all around them. 

The hustle and bustle most of us experience daily makes it nearly impossible to be present and hands-on with our kids all the time. Sometimes Peppa Pig or Paw Patrol save the day- however, there are some major downsides to not balancing your child's technology usage.

In this article, we'll discuss some fun activities to keep your young ones busy that don't involve screens.

Puzzles
Contrary to popular belief, puzzles are not just for rainy days spent inside. Pack a puzzle, snacks, and a blanket, and find a nice shady spot under a tree on a sunny day to relax. Puzzles encourage problem-solving strategies in children and help them to develop the "trial and error" skill.

Reading
An excellent way to entertain your child is to give them a book to read. Choose something with a topic that will interest them- this makes them more likely to engage in the activity. Regular reading will expand their vocabulary, stimulate their imagination to create a visual in their mind's eye of what they are reading and impart important life lessons to them through what they pick up in the material.

Baking
On the messier side of the activity spectrum, we have baking. Let's face it: Which kids don't love sweet treats? If you have the time to get involved in the activities, bake some yummy cupcakes with your kiddies. They will not only get their creative gear going when decorating but also get to eat their creation, which will definitely be a crowd-pleaser!

Crafting
Depending on your child's age, you can switch up precisely what the craft is. For younger kids, everyday dry ingredients such as macaroni, rice, sugar, beans, lentils etc can be stuck on paper to create a 3D picture. Enhance them with string, glitter, or pom-poms. Older kids could learn crocheting, painting, knitting, mosaic, pottery, or basic jewellery making, like beading friendship bracelets.

Volunteering
Most kids from age 9 would be able to do this one. Many animal shelters or havens, such as the SPCA, have an ongoing need for volunteers. From walking the dogs to playing with the cats, they have a furry friend for each child to love. This is an excellent way to educate children on how to properly care for animals and teach them compassion and selflessness.

Although parents have busy lives and packed schedules, everything your child does or does not do in their developmental years will shape your child's values, skill set, and how meaningful their actions are. 

Technology has taken control of the information children access, what they deem true, and what is worth spending time on.