The 5 Best Things to Do with the Kids This Weekend (That Don’t Involve Screen Time)

One easy way to add an element of excitement to any neighborhood stroll (that you can also do in your own backyard or even indoors) is to create a list of scavenger items your little one needs to spot in order to win the “game.” For example: two pink flowers, four birds, one dog in a window and one red car. If you're walking in the neighborhood or just going in the backyard, bring the list with you. When they see all four birds, let them cross off that item on their own.

You don’t have to buy expensive toys to make playtime fun. Instead, get creative with what you already have at home. We love the idea of mixing water and dish detergent to make your own bubble mix. Using a Ziploc® brand freezer or storage bag (now with Grip n' Seal technology to make it easy to open and close, even when your hands are slippery), add 6 cups of water (distilled works best, but tap is fine), ½ cup of liquid dish detergent and ¼ cup of corn syrup. Shake the bag to mix the ingredients (don’t worry—the double zipper from Ziploc® brand means there’s no chance of a messy spill), grab a bubble wand, et voila: hours of backyard entertainment.

Vacation plans cancelled? Not to worry. Grab your swimsuits, a bunch of beach towels, some sunglasses and M.Y.O.B. (Make Your Own Beach) on your living room floor. You can even “bring along” some beach snacks for the kids like a big bowl of strawberries, homemade sandwiches and even popsicles. Last but not least: Crank the Beach Boys and project a sand-and-ocean scene via your Smart TV.

Tokyo 2020 may be postponed, but your family can still take part in their own Olympics. Start with an Opening Ceremony that includes passing around a candle instead of passing the torch and each family member picking their own country to represent. Create a list of competitions including paper-plane throwing, discus (using paper plates) and ring toss. Celebrate the closing ceremony with paper medals awarded to the gold, silver and bronze medalists. And don’t forget the final "fireworks" spectacle (aka popping a bottle of sparkling grape juice as celebration for accomplishing an indoor family olympics).

Oh, the wonders of sidewalk chalk. While we mostly used it to play hopscotch growing up, today’s possibilities are truly endless. One idea? Ask the kids to help you create a chalk obstacle course in the driveway that the whole family gets to test out once it’s done. Tap into your inner kid and get their creativity flowing by helping them sculpt ladders, circles that represent stones in a the cement "river" (don't fall in!) and a "bridge" from one side of the sidewalk to the other. The more complicated, the better.