School is out and kids finally have all the time in the world to do whatever their heart desires. While past generations used to take this time to play outside, kids nowadays tend to spend a lot of time basking in the blue light of a computer screen rather than the sunlight. This summer, take on the challenge of separating your child from their closest companion, their phone, and encourage them to try some alternative activities. To keep your kid active, here are four activities to limit screen time this summer.

The Great Family Bake Off
Bakers choose your stations! Gather your family together in the kitchen to create confections to satisfy your sweet tooth. Bake together or add a little spice into the mix by making it a friendly competition. For little bakers, make simple treats to cool off like yogurt pops. For executive chefs, create more advanced dishes like lemon tarts or classic bites like chocolate chip cookies. The best part of it all, you get to eat everything you create!

2-Step Edible Cookie Dough
Ingredients: 1 cup all-purpose flour, ¾ cup packed brown sugar, ½ cup butter, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, ½ teaspoon salt, 2 tablespoons milk, ½ cup milk chocolate chips, ½ cup mini chocolate chips
Directions: Microwave flour for 1 minute and 15 seconds, stirring it every 15 seconds. Combine wet and dry ingredients and fold in chocolate chips.

Get Crafty
Encourage your kid to embrace their creativity with summer crafts that will bring out their inner artist. Give your child some paint, pipe cleaners, tissue paper and glue and let their imagination run wild. Bring them outside to collect their favorite rocks, then paint them and stick googley eyes on them to make pet rocks. Find empty tissue boxes and transform them into dinosaur feet. The possibilities are endless when your children have the time, space, and supplies to tap into their inner Picasso.

Outdoor Scavenger Hunt
Motivate your kids to get some vitamin D and learn more about nature with an outdoor scavenger hunt. Make a list of common outdoor items like bugs, plant species and animals for your child to find in your backyard. Your kids will never want to return to their screens after they can learn and discover the glories of nature.

Outdoor Movie Night
Okay this one might be considered cheating because it technically still counts as watching tv, but this time it’s outside. Set up a sheet and a projector like the old drive-in movie days and gather together to watch your favorite family flick. Create a cozy ambience with string lights, fluffy pillows and warm blankets. Don’t forget to bring plenty snacks to munch on like smores, pizza, and of course, bring the popcorn. To maximize the outdoor experience, turn the movie night into a backyard camping trip by setting up a tent and sleeping bags to cuddle up under the stars.

By: Jenna Greaves