March Break with Less Screen Time: A Parent’s Guide
Kids need down time from the demands and stimulation of the school year, but it can also bring a unique challenge for parents: how to keep kids entertained without relying too much on screens. As a parent and therapist, you might share the competing pressures I feel, including how to do March break in Ottawa without relying on screens or snow sports. Since anything from spring thaw to polar vortex is on the table, a flexible plan that anticipates indoor and outdoor activities is just prudent. Here are some practical, low-stress strategies for balancing screen time and creating memorable moments with your child.
Step One: How do you want to feel at the end of break?
Identifying your goals/values/needs for March break makes the rest easier. I want to feel…
Supported: If you are working through the break, you may need to enrol your kid in a March break camp, collaborate with friends and family for childcare, or find a babysitter/child care service.
Connected: Even if you’re working, you can still identify what activities help you and your kid connect. Selecting the non-screen time activities below that speak to you and your kid(s) will support that.
Clear: Working or not, going away or not, making a schedule where plans go on the schedule whether you leave the house or not become the agreement. If Reading is scheduled for 3 PM, then at 3 PM, you D.E.A.R. - drop everything and read! (One of my child therapy clients told me about this one; I loved it!)
Rested: Doing too much and having high expectations for yourself and your kids is a great way to not feel rested at the end of March break. Make plans that protect floppy time for everyone, including yourself.
Excited: If you and your kids are peak experience kind of people, then have a plan for those activities and have a couple backups that aren’t weather-dependent.
Step Two: Have a Screen Time Agreement
Screen time isn’t inherently bad; it’s how and why it’s used that matters. If you don’t have a Screen Time Agreement in your family yet, now’s the time to experiment with one! In my family, they reduce conflict and tears and increase clarity and ease.
Tips for discerning screen use:
Include different amounts for different types of screen time: Choose apps, shows, or games that are creative, educational, or encourage problem-solving. For example, daily limits may be:
45 minutes of whatever you want (within existing approved limits)
45 minutes of a creative/educational game like something that teaches coding, artistic expression or math skills
Establish "screen zones" or specific times of day for tech use, like an hour after lunch or during early mornings while you’re getting organized.
Make it a shared experience - make sure you make recommendations you genuinely want to participate in so you stay engaged. (The point here is not to watch what your child wants while flaking out on your phone.)
3. Create a Stable Routine
Step Three: Plan with Your Child
Kids are far more likely to embrace screen-free activities if they’ve had a hand in choosing them. Before or at the start of March break, brainstorm together. If your child is younger, it helps to offer a set of options to simplify the process.
How to include kids in planning:
Make the schedule together, include the obligations and chores you need to do, and limit it to one or two items each day.
Make one based on the other: screen time happens because the other stuff is happening, too.
Explain the importance of pivoting - some ideas rely on other friends being available, weather, etc. Remind them that sometimes plans need to change.
Follow through: try not to let the mountain of “to-dos” you think you should get done this week creep in and protect your commitments to each other.
Step Four: Plan Indoor Activities That Spark Connection
With snow unreliable and bitter cold days a possibility, indoor activities can be lifesavers. Keep boredom at bay with projects that engage kids’ hands and imaginations.
Ideas for creative, connective indoor fun:
DIY craft stations: Set up a table with art supplies like paints, markers, and recycled materials for freeform creativity.
Design movement obstacle courses for each other: You don’t need physical obstacles - though you can! - to create a movement challenge course
Cooking together: Bake or cook with your children! There are special knives to teach safe cutting and loads of recipes that can be safely made together.
Science experiments: Classic activities like making slime or baking soda volcanoes are fun, can be educational, and are the kind of thing most families don’t usually have time for - that makes it special!
Reading together: Set a timer while everyone flops and cuddles in a shared space and reads books, magazines or newspapers separately, but together!
Journaling or drawing together: Prompt your child with questions like, “What would your dream vacation look like?”
Mindfulness activities: Try kid-friendly yoga, guided meditations, or gratitude practices.
Try a new board game! Our current, easy-to-learn favourite is Skyjo.
Step Four: Have a Boredom List/Jar
I am parenting a human child, which means that even though I’m a therapist, I still get resistance and complaining to many of my suggestions. We came up with a household rule that if you complain about boredom, you will be assigned a mandatory chore. Rather than complaining, if you don’t want to do chores with us, you can choose something else. Recommendations on our list include:
Reading: Make sure you have kids’ magazines or books that are at their level for reading to themselves. Graphic novels or comic books are a great “gateway” for solo reading!
Marble runs/MagnaTiles/Lego: Having open-ended OR instructions-based building toys helps a lot of kids stay engaged without screens.
Playing with the family pet: Your child can be helpful by throwing the ball for the dog or brushing the cat. Kids get a lot of satisfaction out of being helpful and being praised, so this may surprise you both!
Step Five: Outdoor Options
On nicer days, bundle up and head outside for a walk in one of Ottawa’s many lovely trails. Even when snow is scarce, there are plenty of ways to enjoy the outdoors without needing perfect weather.
Cold-weather activities:
Winter nature scavenger hunt: Look for pinecones, animal tracks, or signs of spring.
Obstacle course: Use items from the garage to set up a backyard challenge. (Ideas include pulling someone in a sled from A to B or 10 jumping jacks at the end of the garden)
Snow painting: Fill spray bottles with water and food coloring to decorate snowbanks (if there’s snow!).
If it’s too cold to linger outside, consider quick outings to a local indoor space, like a community pool, skating rink, or museum.
A Balanced Break
By being intentional, flexible, and collaborative, you can strike a balance that feels right for your household. And remember: it’s okay to rely on screens when you need a breather. Parenting, like March weather, is all about adapting to the moment.
If you’re curious if therapy could be helpful to you or your child, feel free to reach out. Our team of therapists work with clients of all ages, including children and teens.
