10 Fun Screen-free Activities For A 3 To 5-year-old

Going through a period of quarantine at home with the kids has opened up my eyes to the various activities that are available for my two boys who are 4 and 5 years old. So I have decided to blog about it as well and to let you know which activities were really fun and helped to reduce the tv or computer exposure time.

These activities also allowed for more fun, exciting and interactive play. So here is a list of my 10 favorite toys and products that offered various developmental exposure that is recommended for children ages 3 to 5 years old.

Have you also found any activities that you could share? Please feel free to add to my list, or ask your questions or concerns below. I would be happy to help you!

“Some of my 10 favorite fun screen-free activities that has helped to keep my kids entertained!”

1. Sight word bingo (level 1)

Who would have thought that a good old fashion bingo game would be so interesting for kids! I was skeptical at first when my husband decided to purchase it to teach our oldest son his sight words. Surprisingly enough they loved it. Yes, they actually did like searching for the words. It is also fun to do with the entire family as well.

This activity will also provide your children with the knowledge needed for reading and communication skills that are required at the start of kindergarten.

For more sight word related content, visit my blog post on:

• 12 Ways To Teach Kids Sight Words
• Getting Your Child Ready For Kindergarten
• How To Get Boys To Love Reading

Therefore if you have a struggling kid that complains about learning his sight words, try this bingo game instead. You will be amazed!

2. Slimygloop slimy sand bucket

Maybe you’re like me. I do not like the messy clean-up when it comes to certain play dough-looking toys. You think of the dreaded mess you will have to face afterward. However, kids are going to be kids, and I can deal with a little mess here and there just to get them off of the screen.

So instead, I got this sandy playdough-like activity set and I must say it was a winner with the kids (and the grown-up too who were having fun playing with it as well).

It was so much fun feeling the sand between your fingers and making different creations with the mold. It is definitely not like your typical play dough set. I also recommend using it with a sensory bin (plastic container) to reduce clean-up.

This activity will also help with fine motor skills that are needed for development during the ages of 3 to 5 years old.

3. Activity coloring books of all kinds

Activity coloring books are actually popular in my house. Kids are at the stage where they get excited as they learn to write about drawing and coloring. My kids love drawing and coloring so much that we go through a lot of paper when it comes to that activity.

So I went to my local Dollar store and found some activity books as well, that were age-appropriate and provided lots of different activities for the kids to enjoy. They look forward to exploring their books as they colored different characters or did a word search, maze, or puzzles.

This activity will help with fine motor skills and problem-solving skills that are developed between the 3 to 5-year-old age group.

4. Rockin rover and bionic biplane

This toy was a hit with my boys! It kept them entertained, and at the same time, offered problem-solving and fine motor skills required for 3 to 5 years old during development.

The toy came with pieces that were pretty easy to put together with a little grown-up help. When the toy was fully assembled, however, boy oh boy, they were so amazed that they were able to build something from scratch that actually moves. Yes, it is that entertaining and I highly recommend it.

5. Pre-school learning library

If you are like me who love toys that can also teach them something, then it’s a sure winner in my book. This preschool learning library was actually puzzle-like pieces that helped with counting, It is Match it ABC, Match it Colours, and Match it counting.

The kids loved the activities and at the same time, were learning as well. It helps with communication skills, fine motor, and problem-solving required for 3 to 5-year-old in stage development.

6. Melissa and Doug wooden town playset

I am a fan of Melissa and Doug’s products! This one is no exception. It is a simple wooden toy set of different buildings in a community that really can help a child to be aware of the various name of places, people, or occupations in their surroundings.

This helps with personal-social growth and communication. We bought this pay set for my nieces and nephew and it was a blast with all the kids playing and building together.

7. Magformers and magblock

My kids have had this toy since the baby stages and have done so well with them when it comes to creative play. They have carried these toys around so much that they could be found in every room.

This is perfect for STEM education as well where they are working on fine motor skills and problem-solving. They can also learn their shapes, colors, and how to build.

8. lego duplo steam train

I am not the mom fanatic that buys all the Lego toys in the store, but this is the one that I found my kids enjoyed the most in their playtime. There is something quite intriguing to my 4 and 5-year-old who has had this set for about 1 year now and they just love building new tracks each time they play with this toy.

This is definitely a great toy for problem-solving and also communication skills when done with other children as my boys do all the time.

9. Musical Instruments of any kind

Music is wonderful for the development of children. It can help a lot with problem-solving, social-emotional skills, gross motor, and fine motor skills. Our children love playing on the piano or singing with a pretend microphone etc.

You can do anything to make music and let them just have fun making the sounds and hearing different things. If it’s in your budget, I would definitely recommend any music lessons or classes whether in person or online.

Do check it out to see what’s available in your neighborhood. We also bought a friend of ours a multi-piece musical set that was a hit with her boys.

This helps with personal-social growth and communication.

10. Let’s go Fishing

The boys and I went to Nana’s (Grandma’s) house, which is Toyland for every kid. My mother has a toy room for her grandchildren (Way to go Nana!). She took out this toy and I was initially skeptical about what it was and if it would keep my little ones intrigued.

Boy was I surprised, not only did it keep them entertained but Mommy and Daddy were also fighting for turns lol! It is such a fun game and so different from other activities on the market. Trying to catch the fish on the fishing pole and pulling them out was actually fun to do.

This toy will definitely help with problem-solving and fine motor development.

Overall here are some of my top 10 favorite toys and products for my children that I know will definitely keep the computer or tv screen away for some more interactive playtime. I will update my list as I discover more exciting toys or products on the market. But for now, try a couple of these activities for kids and see the excitement build.

For more kids activity-related content visit my blog posts on:

• Places That Offer Free Activities for Kids
• Budget-friendly Ways To Save On Kids Activities
• 10 Fun Activities To Do With Kids
• 12 Movement Activities For Kids To Stay Fit

Did you find the strategies listed in this article helpful? What were some of your favorite tips? How have they worked for you? Leave a comment below, I’d love to know what you think.

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