Give Their Screens a Break
Why Activity Books Are a Great Screen-Free Alternative for Kids
Why Activity Books Are a Great Screen-Free Alternative for Kids
Screens are part of childhood today.
Kids use them to learn, create, communicate, play, watch, explore—and sometimes just relax. Technology isn't the enemy. In fact, research increasingly suggests that what children do on screens may matter just as much as how much time they spend using them.
But healthy childhood needs more than a screen.
Kids also need opportunities to go outside and enjoy nature. To play in the grass, run around just having fun, using their imaginations to come up with the next game to play.
But sometimes, the weather just doesn't want to cooperate. That's when kids need opportunities to pick up a pencil or a crayon, solve a puzzle, color a picture, read a story, use their imagination, play a game with family, and simply enjoy doing something with their own two hands.
That's where activity books come in.
Screen Time Isn't All the Same
"Screen time" can mean almost anything.
A child could spend an hour creating digital artwork, researching a school project, learning a new skill, playing a strategy game—or endlessly scrolling through short videos.
Those experiences aren't equivalent.
An eight-year longitudinal study published in Pediatric Exercise Science followed children into adolescence and found that greater self-reported screen time was associated with better cognitive processing later in adolescence. The researchers noted that some screen-based activities may involve learning, creativity, problem-solving, and other cognitively engaging behaviors.[1]
That's an important reminder: screen time isn't automatically bad.
The study also does not prove that more screen time makes children smarter. It found an association, not cause and effect.
The takeaway is simpler:
Healthy technology use is about more than counting minutes. What kids are doing matters, too.
But Kids Still Need Time Away From Screens
Even when technology is useful, it shouldn't crowd everything else out.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that families intentionally create screen-free time and make room for other important parts of childhood, including sleep, physical activity, reading, play, homework, hobbies, and time with family.[2]
The AAP's Family Media Plan similarly encourages families to think about the quality and context of media use and to establish screen-free times and places.[3]
And sometimes the easiest way to help a child take a break from a screen isn't simply to say: "Turn that off."
It's to give them a fun alternative.
That's Why We Love Activity Books
A good activity book turns screen-free time from a restriction into an invitation.
Can you solve this?
Can you find all the hidden words?
Can you make it through the maze?
What colors should this picture be?
Do you know the answer to this Bible trivia question?
Instead of simply taking entertainment away, you're replacing it with something engaging.
Depending on the activities, children can practice skills such as:
Reading and vocabulary
Spelling and word recognition
Problem-solving
Concentration and persistence
Handwriting and pencil control
Creativity and imagination
Memory and recall
Biblical literacy and Scripture engagement
And there's another benefit that's harder to measure:
An activity book can create quiet.
No notifications.
No autoplay.
No next video.
No battery.
Just a child, a pencil, and something interesting to figure out.
Try a 30-Minute Screen Break
You don't have to eliminate screens from your home to create healthier habits.
Try something much simpler.
Set aside 30 minutes of screen-free time every day and put an activity book on the table.
Let your child choose what to do.
Maybe they'll solve a maze.
Maybe they'll work on a word search.
Maybe they'll color.
Maybe they'll discover something about the Bible they didn't know before.
And maybe 30 minutes becomes 45 because they're having fun.
That's a win.
Make Screen-Free Time Meaningful
At Ichthus Publishing, we create Christian books designed to be more than something that simply keeps kids occupied.
We want children to think, create, explore, learn, and grow in their knowledge of God's Word.
Our children's activity books combine puzzles, games, coloring, challenges, Bible stories, Scripture, and learning activities to give families an easy alternative when it's time to put the screens down.
Not because technology is bad.
Because childhood should have room for more.
Put Down the Screen. Pick Up an Adventure.
Whether it's a rainy afternoon, road trip, quiet time, Sunday afternoon, family vacation, waiting room, or simply a much-needed break from devices, keep an activity book nearby.
No Wi-Fi required.
Explore Our Christ Centered Activity Books
Ready for a screen break?
Sources & Further Reading
1. Jalanko, P., Leppänen, M. H., Bond, B., Laukkanen, J. A., Lakka, T. A., & Haapala, E. A. (2026).
"Associations of Physical Activity and Sedentary Time From Childhood to Adolescence With Cognition in Adolescence: The PANIC Study." Pediatric Exercise Science.
https://doi.org/10.1123/pes.2025-0083
2. American Academy of Pediatrics (2026).
"Digital Ecosystems, Children, and Adolescents: Policy Statement." Pediatrics.
https://publications.aap.org/pediatrics/article/157/2/e2025075320/206129/Digital-Ecosystems-Children-and-Adolescents-Policy
3. American Academy of Pediatrics (2024).
"The Family Media Plan." Pediatrics.
https://publications.aap.org/pediatrics/article/154/6/e2024067417/199968/The-Family-Media-Plan
