April 30th through May 6th is Screen Free Week, originally known as TV-Turnoff Week starting in 1994. As we have grown more and more dependent on technology for entertainment with the growth of the internet, smart phones, and apps targeting children and even toddlers, TV-Turnoff Week became Digital Detox Week in 2024 and Screen Free Week in 2024.
Screen Free Week is supported by more than 70 organizations including the American Medical Association, the American Heart Association, Big Brothers Big Sisters of American, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the YMCA. Screen Free Week is a great opportunity to save money on electricity, build family relationships, and get a few other projects done around the house. It may be tempting to think that a technology-free week will be impossible and you will run out of things to do, but here are 30 things you can do that do not require technology and may even make you a little fitter.
- Take a walk
- Go camping
- Climb a tree
- Re-paint your kitchen
- Catch up on your laundry
- Get a massage
- Mow the lawn
- Try a project (or twenty) you found on Pinterest*
- Take a yoga class
- Take a dance class
- Clean out your refrigerator and pantry
- Train your dog
- Try a new recipe
- Prepare and freeze meals for the future
- Organize your basement
- Visit a farmer’s market
- Learn to knit
- Read a book – Are you wondering what all the fuss is about with Hunger Games?
- Write a letter to your grandmother
- Learn to read a map
- Purchase, sign, and address birthday cards for family members
- Start your Christmas shopping – really, I’m serious
- Get a pedicure
- Give yourself a manicure
- Rearrange your furniture
- Visit a museum
- Try a new restaurant
- Go bowling
- Take someone out to the ballgame
- Have a picnic
*Many of us have become dependent on getting directions and information on the go, so this may require a bit of planning ahead or getting what you need before you leave work.