Screen-Free Gift Guide 2022
All the fun, none of the screens!
As Amazon affiliates, we earn from qualifying purchases. We may also receive a commission from other items listed. Thanks!
Small Business Favorites
Yoto Player
We love our Yoto Player! Yoto devices have no screen, no camera, no microphone, and no ads. That means kids are free to explore safe and family-friendly audio. Use the code BST10 for 10% OFF an order of $69 or more until December 15th, 2023.
TURING TUMBLE
Tyler and our son love experimenting together on Turing Tumble. This game is a basically a mechanical computer! It’s an entertaining introduction to the basic concept of computing, binary logic, and the fascinating realization that computing does not require electricity. 😉Â
GRANDPA BECK'S GAMES
These games are a staple in our house!
Yo! Ho! Ho! Skull King and Cover Your Assets are two of our very favorites.
EASY SCREEN-FREE ACTIVITIES
Looking for easy screen-free ideas for your kid ages 3-7? We love the Quiet Book Queen (Kailan) and her done-for-you subscription to keep your little ones playing!
52 MODERN MANNERS FOR TODAY'S TEENS
Brooke Romney’s newest books 52 Modern Manners for Todays Teens, Volumes 1 & 2, are such an easy and impactful way to bring up critical topics for teens today.
Our kids and teens love to flip the pages and share the tips with the entire family.Â
KIWI CRATES
Kiwi Crates captured our attention years ago and they just keep getting better! There is something for every type of child and interest.
We’ve tried the majority of the crates and loved them all. We’re currently subscribed to the Tinker Crate and Kiwi Crate! Discounts vary throughout the year, but use the link below for a discount anytime.Â
Spark Creativity & Imagination
BOOGIE BOARD
I don’t know how Boogie Boards have never made it on our list because we’ve been using these for YEARS! They are an essential in our on-the-go bag (and yes, our teens use them, too!). Â
PLAY SILKS
These silks are one of the most versatile “toys” for imaginative and creative play!
GIANT WAFFLE BLOCKS
These waffle blocks are larger than life and I can’t tell you how many HOURS our kids played with these! Forts, pet houses, pretend store…the list goes on.
HOW TO DRAW ANIMALS
Such a fun drawing book featuring one thing most kids love—animals!
COOL SKETCH BOOKS
We have a lot of artists in our house and we can never have enough sketch books on hand! These come in a variety of colors and sizes.
EMBROIDERY THREAD FLOSS SET
Our niece is creating such fun designs with this set! I wouldn’t be surprised if this shows up at our house this Christmas. 😉
BLANK COMIC BOOK
This is one of the few items we’re repeating from a previous gift guide because it’s so popular! It’s $6 well spent. Our kids have created the most bizarre and silly comics in their books!
WATERCOLOR BRUSH PENS
Our 11-year-old son got these for Christmas last year and has pulled them out time and time again! They are seriously SO fun to paint and draw with.
MAGNA TAB FREE DRAW
Our younger kids love making creative designs with this. (Not great for quiet places, but perfect for in the car!)
LINCOLN LOGS
A classic toy that never gets old! Our kids have had a lot of fun building houses, schools, forts—you name it!Â
CAILICO CRITTERS
We love our Calico Critters and play sets! They are simple, yet detailed, and keep little hands happy for a good while.
LEGO SET
Legos always seem to make our list! (Check our our other gift guides for basic lego recommendations.) Our older kids LOVED putting together Hogwarts!
Stay in Touch with Nature & the Outdoors
SUCCULENT & CACTUS SEED KIT
Our son LOVES plants. We love starter kits because you get everything you need, but you can also make a trip to your local garden store for some seeds and seed starting soil, too!
HAMMOCKS
Hammocks are seriously fun for ALL ages. We love our Honest Outfitters double size hammocks, but it looks like they are out of stock. We found some that look comparable and linked them below!
LED LIGHT ARROW FLYING TOYS
Our friend said these are the best for camping! (We can’t wait to try them!) Kids and teens can get out in nature while cleaning up. 😉
KUBB YARD GAME
We take this game with us on every summer road trip. We’ve played with friends and cousins in backyards and fields in many states!
CROSS NET
We packed Cross Net with us during all of our summer travels. So fun for ALL ages! (We recommend getting a different volleyball to go with it. The one it comes with isn’t great.)
EVERBRITE 5-PACK HEADLAMPS
Perfect for camping, adventuring, working in the garage, and evening walks in the dark of winter. I can’t tell you how often we use these headlamps!
VOLLEYBALL
This is the volleyball we use with our Cross Net game. It’s well made and durable!
SPIDER WEB SWING
We love this swing! Our kids have had lots of fun piling a friend or two in the swing with them.
Raise Readers
READING LIGHT
Reading lights are a rite of passage in our home. It’s beautiful to watch books become your kids friends and then watch kids become teens who turn to a book in the bedroom (no screens there!). Side note: we’ve learned that rechargeable book lights save on batteries. 😉
FABLEHAVEN SERIES
Brandon Mull’s books are perfect for the fantasy fans! Our son has read many of his books, but the Fablehaven series continues to be a favorite. Great book set for an 8-10 year old boy.
DAILY CALENDAR
Our son asks for one of these every year. Super fun mini brain challenge each day. It’s also a fun bedtime bonding routine for parent/child before or after reading!
HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON SERIES
Several of our kids have loved this NYT Best Seller series!
Stretch Your Brain with STEM
QUADCOPTERS
Quadcopters a great fun to fly, take lots of practice to master, and work inside for those cold winter days. Grab a couple and start a race!
THEODORE GRAY'S ELEMENTS TRILOGY
Who knew that science could be fun? Theodore Gray—that’s who! These books provide a fascinating and entertaining insight into the fundamental building blocks of our universe that’s enjoyable for anyone age 8 and up!
MODEL ROCKETS
Model rockets provide a great mix of satisfaction from both the creative challenge of building the rocket, to the excitement of watching it soar into the sky. This kit includes everything needed to get started with your own personal journey to Mars!
WOODEN MODEL KITS
Wooden models like this one take the glue-free simplicity of a jigsaw puzzle, and add the complexity of motion and three dimensions. Guaranteed to keep your creative child or spouse entertained for multiple days while building construction skills!
MICROSCOPE
Looking closely at everyday items is a real eye opener. We have one of these and have found amazing little critters swimming in water drops from our back yard. Amazing!
TELESCOPE
Looking closer at the night sky is a real eye opener. The moon, Saturn, and Jupiter are enjoyable to view with a basic telescope like this one. We’ve bonded together in the backyard on many a summer nights!
Make Some Music
ELECTRONIC DRUMS
Our teens love to spend time banging out rhythms to their favorite music on this electric drum set. A good set of headphones makes sharing the music optional!
DRUM AMP/SPEAKER
Sometimes you want to share your amazing drum beats with the family. Or have someone join in on the action with another instrument. This amp accepts two sound sources, and has plenty of volume.
HEADPHONES
Headphones let your teens play the drums any time of day – without driving everyone else away. This set works great for us.
DRUM STOOL
You’ll need a place to site while playing the drums. This stool is comfy, but not too spendy.
MUSIC STAND
Tired of flimsy portable music stands? This Peak stand is sturdier and lighter than the common metal stands we all see at school or church – and portable, too!
PATCH CABLES
You’ll need a patch cable or two to connect to your amp. These basic cables will do the trick.
