This screen-free gift guide was compiled by real parents like you—our Better Screen Time team members who actually use and love everything on this list. We hope these gifts bring your family hours of screen-free fun!
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Click here to check out our past Screen-Free Gift Guides for classic gifts that never go out of style!
Andrea’s Favorites
LEUCHTTURM1917 NOTEBOOK
I’m an avid analog notetaker and the LEUCHTTURM1917 is one of my favorite notebooks! The page numbers and “contents” page at the beginning of the journal make it possible to track specific entries by page number. Brilliant! Plus, there are so many fun colors to choose from.
Stolp Phone Box
I’ve had to be super digilent about keeping my phone out of reach this past year while I’ve been writing our parent-teen journal! I’ve loved this super simple phone box from Stolp. I slip my phone in there while I’m writing or having some quality time with the kids. The old adage “out of sight, out of mind” is real my friend! I love their motto: the goal isn’t to STOP using your phone, it’s to STOLP (which in Dutch means a bell jar/cover). Every parent needs this.
Use code BST for $17 OFF!
ALARM CLOCK—BASIC
This basic, compact alarm clock was the first alarm clock I purchased after taking my phone out of my room over 6 years ago. I replaced it later with the Loftie for my room, but I still use this when I’m traveling and it’s still going strong! I keep my phone away from my bed even in a hotel room, camping, or wherever and rely on this little guy instead. I love that the display is off during the night and you just have to hit the snooze button for backlight to see the time. It’s so durable and we just repurchased it for our 19-year-old daughter’s overseas mission trip.
ALARM CLOCK—PERSONAL FAVORITE, LOFTIE
I’ve kept my devices out of our bedroom for over SIX YEARS now! So worth it. One of my favorite tools to make this possible is my Loftie alarm clock. It has a gentle alarm, awesome white noise (please try the fire crackling mode while reading in bed—my fav!). I’ve set automatic sound and light routines that cue my mind and body to wind down at night, too. My fav feature? Every night I turn the display completely OFF. No worrying about what time it is in the middle of the night. 🙂
Use code BST20 for 20% OFF until December 20th, 2024!
FREEDOM
One of our top recommendations for helping teens and adults stay on task on a device! Freedom blocks distracting websites and apps on your own schedule.
Flecks of Gold Journal
The Flecks of Gold journal is a “one-line-a-day” 3-year journal to help moms remember the “golden moments” of motherhood. Without fail, I always get messages from moms AND dads later saying, “This was by far one of my favorite gifts.”
Use BST for 10% OFF! (Plus an extra $5 OFF the entire month of November!)
Brick
Tap this little magnetic Brick to temporarily block the distracting apps on your smartphone. It’s brilliant! I use my Brick when I’m doing “deep work” or want to focus on my family. Sometimes you want to turn your phone into a brick. 😉
Use code BST for 10% off!
Family Connection
THE SCRAMBLED STATES OF AMERICA GAME
We played this game a lot with our young kids! Have some fun while learning more about our great country. Ages 8+.
WINGSPAN GAME
Our bird-loving son loves this game, but you don’t have to be a bird-lover to enjoy it! The objective is for players to create their own wildlife preserves by placing a series of bird cards on a board consisting of different habitats. On any given turn, a player has four options: play a new bird, gain food, lay eggs, or draw new cards. p.s. The card images are stunning! Rated ages 14+, but we’ve had kids as young as 7 play with us.
WAVELENGTH GAME
Whether you’re playing with a few people or a crowd, this game sparks fun conversations and is easy to play! Ages 14+.
SPLENDOR DUEL GAME
We’re big fans of the original Splendor, but this two-person version is becoming a fast favorite! It’s great for some one-on-one time with one of your older kids or for your teen and their friend who need something to do. 🙂 Ages 10+.
NATIONAL PARKS PUZZLE
National Park dreaming for the whole family…we love leaving puzzles out for everyone to work on during some downtime!
500 PIECE HOLIDAY FOIL PUZZLE
Gorgeous and fun puzzle for the holidays. This one’s on our wishlist this year!
1000 PIECE SKI PUZZLE
We love having a winter-themed puzzle to work on during January/February after the holidays are over and we’re left with long, dark nights at home!
ALL CREATURES GREAT AND SMALL
The book of memoirs that started it all! Our family has loved the mini-series and this is a such a great family read-aloud.
BOHNANZA CLASSIC CARD GAME
A game about planting beans? Yep. Of course, there’s a bit more to it than that. We’ve had this game for a few years, but it has recently made a comeback in our home. It’s a family favorite!
1000 PIECE MYSTIC MAZE PUZZLE
This puzzle is fun, and comes with a twist. No spoilers here. Our kids had so much fun with it!
THE GENIUS SQUARE
Our younger kids enjoy playing this with a friend. Always different, and always a race. This puzzle game is good for ages six and up.
Quiet Time
DOODLE BOARDS
A great way to draw without running out of paper or pencils. The battery lasts for years, comes in fun colors, and is perfect for church services, in the car, or playing drawing games with friends!
KLUTZ STRING ART
We love the Klutz craft kits and this one came highly recommended by one of our team members!
PROJECT GENIUS GEAR BALL
This puzzle comes recommended by one of our team members. Such a great brainteaser and challenge for kids!
DIAMOND ART
This is such a clever craft. The options are endless!
WOODEN 3D PUZZLES
These puzzles are so fun to build! And with so many options available, you’ll be sure to find something that your kids or teens will enjoy. We have built and own several!
Picasso Tiles Magnetic Race Track
Kids can easily build their own race track and then give it a test drive!
MELISSA & DOUG MAGNETIC JIGSAW PUZZLES
Magnetic pieces help keep things together whether you’re on the road or at home.
PICASSO TILES MAGNETIC DRAWING BOARD
Teach kids how to write letters and numbers while having some fun as well. Battery and mess free!
Raising Readers
BOOK LIGHT
Head under the covers while reading one more chapter? Your kids need this.
LITTLE TIKES STORY DREAM MACHINE
Listen to your favorite stories, watch the slide show, and read along. It doubles as a night light and white noise machine!
YOTO PLAYER
Back for 2024! 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 our code AFF-BST10 for 10% OFF from November 12th-19th. This is a limited time promotion and we won’t be able to offer this discount again this holiday season!
THE WILD ROBOT
This story made a comeback this year with the movie. Our 5th grader loves this one!
Spark Creativity & Imagination
Grandpa Beck Games
Grandpa Beck’s Games always entertain! The games are simple and short enough that they can be played by all members of the family even on a busy weeknight. It requires just enough skill and luck to keep you excited to the end! Our top favs? Cover Your Assets and Skull King! Use BST for 15% OFF ALL GAMES!
Little Mermaid Doll Set
There is something so fun for little girls to have little dolls. It’s a thing! If you have any young girls in your house, these will be a hit.
Disney Princess Party Pack
We don’t promote a lot of “cartoon” or “character” brands, but friends, this is one thing little girls just love and we have to share. Six princesses all at once. It really is a party in a pack. 🙂
PicassoTiles Magnetic Tiles
We still own and love our classic Magnatiles, but if you’re looking for a less expensive version—these PicassoTiles are it! Colorful, magnetic, and endless creations! Kids love them!
BATH TIME TUBES
Need some bath time entertainment? Want to learn plumbing, too? These fun toys will do the trick.
SIDEWALK CHALK
Get outside, and get creative at the same time Sidewalk chalk is always cheerful.
PLAY-DOH KITCHEN CREATIONS
Let your kids pretend to cook without the mess!
Melissa & Doug Makeup Kit Play Set
This kit looks just like mom’s, and is a great mess free way to play.
TUNNEL TENT
Who knows where this tunnel leads in your child’s imagination?
3D PRINTING PEN
Try this completely different way of creating with a simple pen!
LEGO WATERING CAN
These LEGO sets are more fun and more colorful than ever!
T-REX HOODED CAPE
Dressing up? Fun! Dressing up as a tyrannosaurus rex? Perfection!
ESCAPE THIS BOOK! TITANIC
Our younger kids love these escape books!
THE SUPER SUDOKU BOOK FOR SMART KIDS
These puzzles are very satisfying to solve, and this book leads from easy to hard. Our 5th grader does a few puzzles with dad at night before bed!
KIDS JEWELRY BOX SET
We LOVE this brand and our girls always loved fancy jewelry to play dress-up. Your little girl will be one step away from ruling the kingdom with these on. 😉
TYPEWRITER
This is not a toy – it’s a real typewriter. It’s also a magnet for curious kids and a fun way to encourage writing! Our 8th grade son has this exact typewriter in his room and I love hearing it pound out random messages to the household.
MODULAR PLAY COUCH
Less expensive version of the popular Nugget play couches!
From Kelsey: “My kids pull out their play couch on a daily basis!I have seen them use it to build a house, hideout, slide, trampoline and multiple obstacle courses. We also slide it over to our living room for movie night.
The covers are machine washable and the whole couch is easy to store and looks nice. We love our play couch!”
Stay in Touch with Nature & the Outdoors
GIRO MOUNTAIN BIKE HELMET
We’ve purchased various sizes and colors of this helmet over and over again as our kids have grown! Stylish, comfortable, and safe. For when your adventuring gets real!
60-Inch Climbing Dome
Great for building strength and coordination while playing outside! From our team member, Kelsey: This climbing dome is one of our favorite outdoor toys! We have watched our kids challenge themselves and gain confidence in their physical abilities as they climb, swing and hang upside down. It’s durable and can hold enough weight for multiple friends to be on it at the same time.
PORTABLE HAMMOCK
These are great for camping or just a day picnic. The kids and teens play and read in them more than sleep. 😉
Stretch Your Brain with STEM
MAGNETIC MARBLE RUN
Step up your marble run game with this magnetic set from National Geographic.
Teens
GLOW IN THE DARK BASKETBALL
Add some fun to your game while keeping the night owls active.
JBL BLUETOOTH SPEAKER
Taking tunes with you is easy with this rugged and portable Bluetooth speaker. This is the exact speaker our 19-year-old took to college and it’s also perfect for satisfying those music-loving teens without taking a screen into the bedroom. Connect your device outside of the bedroom, turn on your playlist, and voila—music in the bedroom!
UKULELE BUNDLE
Our youth group purchased this exact ukelele to learn some songs together! (Recommended by our music teacher friend.)
SILENT BASKETBALL
Quiet b-ball action for the kids and teens who always need to be dribbling. 😉
BIKE MULTITOOL
A compact but sturdy set of tools for repairs on your next ride. Proven on Oregon trails. (Just ask Tyler!)
GAIAM YOGA MAT
Our teen girls love using this mat for yoga workouts. It’s portable, too!
EVERYTHING CHOCOLATE COOK BOOK
Some amazing recipes are hiding in this book. (The fudgy brownies have become a favorite.) We’ve checked this out from the library an embarassing number of times. This just might be on our Christmas wishlist. And did we mention it’s all chocolate? And that our teens have made these more than we have? 🙂
PIZZA NIGHT COOK BOOK
Another library find! We almost always do pizza night on Friday’s and everyone makes their own personal pizza. It’s not uncommon for the teens to have a friend or two around to make their own pizza, too. This cookbook has such fun pizza variations and tasty salads, too!
DAKINE BACKPACK
These Dakine backpacks are a great size, stylish, and very durable (great zippers and outdoor-tough!). All FIVE of our kids own and currently use one. So many fun colors and designs. (They’ll even survive middle school!)
SEWING MACHINE
Our teen girls have had fun shaping up thrift store finds with our sewing machine! One of our daughter even sews little clutches and handbags for fun. And for the record…guys can sew, too! Tyler taught our girls everything they know because his mom taught him as a teen. 😉 Such a great life skill and creative outlet for teens.
INTERNATIONAL SNACK BOX
Broaden your horizons and raise some eyebrows with the wide selection of international snacks in this box. Makes for a fun family night or friend party. (We want to do it again!)
TENNIS RACQUET
A few of our kids play on the tennis team (for fun!) and we enjoy playing tennis as a family here and there. It’s such a great lifetime sport, keeps kids and teens active, and is easy to do with just one friend or a small group! This racquet is top notch and good fit for young teens.
Make Some Music
MUSICAL THEATRE ANTHOLOGY FOR TEENS: YOUNG MEN
The version for girls was recommended by our daughter’s voice teacher and it’s been a fun one to have around. This one includes songs for boys from classic musicals.
MUSICAL THEATRE ANTHOLOGY FOR TEENS: YOUNG WOMEN
This book is a little old, but it’s got all the classic songs from all the great theater! It was recommended by our daughter’s voice teacher and it’s been a fun one to have around.
SUPER SOUND KARAOKE
A party light, TWO microphones, and all the fun sounds your kids need for a fun karoke night!
Small Favorites
NEEDOH COOL CATS
You’ve probably seen these stress balls, but have you seen the cat version? SOOOO squishy and cute.
PRINCESS BRACELETS
Dressing up is definitely one of our kids’ favorite pasttimes! Lots of accessories were the ticket to making it all that much more fun. 🙂 These bracelets are the perfect stocking stuffer.
MAGNATAB MINI
We love our original Magnatab, but these little keychain versions are a new favorite. Fun to put on a backpack to pass time on the schoolbus or to put in your purse while waiting at the doctor’s office!
MINI GLITTER GEL PENS
We love Ooly art products and this colorful collection of gel pens in a small, sparkly set is one of our favorite.
WIKKI STIX FOR DOODLERS
Wikki Stix have been around a while, but we particuarly love this travel set! Great for the plane, car, or waiting for an appoinment. Kids love them.
HOW TO DRAW ALL THE THINGS
We’ve listed the OG version of this book on our gift guides before, but this travel version would make an awesome stocking stuffer and easier to pack along for travel!
YOYOS
This is one of Tyler’s favorites! He is the yo-yo master in our house. There’s a difference between novelty yoyos and real yoyos that can actually do tricks. Yes, you may need to consult YouTube to learn said tricks, but most of your time will be spent practicing while simultaneously entertaining the family. 😉 We love that YoYoTricks.com has a screen time pack!
3X3 MAGNETIC SPEED CUBE
The Rubik’s cube for this century. Our nephew really got into “speedcubing” this year and gifted this one to our son. He’s had a lot of fun solving it. These new magnetic cubes make cubing super slick and fun!
GLOW-IN-THE-DARK ZIP STRING
This is on our wishlist this year. It comes highly recommended from some of our Better Screen Time team members!
DIGITAL WATCH
Several of our kids still have regular watches.(Hooray for analog!) This one is on our wishlist this year as an upgrade for one of our kids. 🙂
SHAPE SHIFTING FIDGET CUBE
This is on our wishlist this year! We’ve heard rave reviews. 😉
MAD LIBS
Mad Libs never get old! In our house, we love taking turns suggesting random words – someone calls out a describing word, another person adds an object name, and when we put it all together, the ridiculous results have everyone cracking up. This one is a recent fav.
ON THE GO GAME PAD
I’m not sure how many times we’ve purchased this game pad over the years. I’m sure Amazon will tell me at least a dozen! All of the games are simple and fun. It’s great for road trips!
HANAYAMA METAL PUZZLE
Got someone who can solve any puzzle? This is the next level! (We are still trying to figure this particular one out—you’ve been warned!) This could be the perfect thing for your brainy teen. Our son has enjoyed (and solved!) some of their more simple puzzles…so be sure to check out the skill-level on the puzzle you pick.
FOAM AIRPLANES
Recommended by our Better Screen Time team, these are durable fun for the budding pilot in your family. These can fly super far!
Check out our past Screen-Free Gift Guides for classic gifts that never go out of style!
