Screen-free activity books for ages 7 to 12
Printable activity books for children aged 7 to 12, for the moments when “I'm bored” comes out and the tablet is within reach. Each page holds one challenge they can read and start on their own, usually with paper, a pencil or things from around the house.
100 Screen-Free Challenges is organised in 8 worlds: Express, Creative, Logic, Move, Outdoors, Calm, Together and Adventure. Every page shows the time it takes (5 to 45 minutes, apart from a half-day final challenge), the number of players, the materials and a difficulty from 1 to 3 stars. 68 challenges work solo and 32 need two or more players, so it suits an only child on a wet Sunday as well as siblings over half term. At the back, children tick off what they've done on a progress chart, collect badges and finish with a Screen-Free Hero certificate, and a 28-page guide for adults gives a hint or an example for every challenge, so you can nudge without doing it for them.
100 Screen-Free Holiday Challenges is the holiday activity book for kids: another 100 challenges in the same 8 worlds, many of them made for car journeys, the beach, the countryside, the campsite and rainy days. 57 of the 100 need just paper and a pencil, or nothing at all. They last from 5 minutes to an hour, with a final half-day adventure for the whole family, and the 138-page book ends with a progress chart, 5 badges, a top 10, a page to invent challenge no. 101, a Screen-Free Hero certificate and a guide for adults with a hint and an example for every challenge. Which one? The first book for home and weekends, the holiday edition for journeys and trips.
Both books have 8 × 10 in pages that print on A4 or US Letter, in colour or black and white: the whole book before the holidays, or just today's page. Want free ideas first? Our guides list dozens of screen-free activities for kids and 25 car journey games for kids that need almost nothing.
Our guides
Car Journey Games for Kids: 25 Screen-Free Ideas
25 car journey games for kids with no screens and almost no kit: spotting games, word games, pencil games and quiet ones, plus an hour-by-hour plan.
Read the guide →Screen-Free Activities for Kids: 60 Ideas for Ages 7-12
60 screen-free activities for kids aged 7 to 12, sorted by time and energy: quick games, creative projects, puzzles, active indoor games and ideas for outside.
Read the guide →What to Do When Your Child Says They're Bored
What to do when your child says they're bored: a four-step response that avoids arguments, how to make a boredom jar together and ideas that break the routine.
Read the guide →Things to Do With Kids Over the Christmas Holidays
30 things to do with kids over the Christmas holidays: free winter outings, rainy-day ideas and projects that last several days, with a simple two-week plan.
Read the guide →
Questions
What is the difference between the two books?
They have the same format, the same 8 worlds and different challenges. 100 Screen-Free Challenges is the everyday book for home and weekends. 100 Screen-Free Holiday Challenges has many challenges for the road, the beach, the countryside, the campsite and rainy holiday days, and 57 of them need only paper and a pencil, or nothing at all.
Do I need a colour printer?
No. The pages of both books are in colour but stay readable in black and white, on ordinary paper. Print single or double-sided, the whole book or a few pages.
Which challenges need an adult?
Both books ask children to check with an adult before they move something, use scissors, go outside or do an experiment. In the first book that covers, for example, the baking soda volcano, the floating and sinking tests, the egg protector and the Outdoors world; in the holiday edition, some challenges list an adult in the materials, for example near water or after dark.
Will they suit a 6-year-old or a 13-year-old?
They were designed for 7 to 12, for children who read on their own. A younger child can do some challenges if an adult reads the mission with them: start with the 1-star pages. Older children often enjoy running the Together games for the family.
Can I print a page for each child?
Yes, for use in your own home: print a page for each child, or the whole book again for the next holidays. The licence covers personal and family use, so the file itself must not be shared or sent to other families.