63 Screen-Free Activities for Adults: Fun Things To Do without Your Phone

Discover 63+ insanely entertaining, relaxing, and productive screen-free activities for adults including screen-free morning activities, screen-free hobbies, plus screen-free family activities and games.

Hands assembling a puzzle as part of screen-free activities for adults.

Do you feel like you’re glued to your phone and life is passing you by? Maybe you’ve recently checked your screen time report and had a bit of a jump scare? Or maybe you just want to work on improving your mental health with fun and relaxing screen-free activities?

If you’re looking for creative, fun and relaxing ways to unplug, this list of 63 screen-free activities for adults was created just for you.

Whether your main goal is entertainment, relaxation, or living in the present moment, we’ve got non-screen activities to suit all your needs.

These activities are designed to help you get the most out of your time offline and provide a much-needed break from the never-ending stream of notifications.

With even just a little bit of intentional screen-free time, you can relieve screen fatigue and enjoy the peace of connecting with the world around you and reconnecting with your inner self.

Discover 63 screen-free activities for adults to have fun, increase productivity, and improve your mental health–all without reaching for your phone.

From a calming screen-free morning routine and screen-free hobbies to fun family activities and screen-free games, we’ve got plenty of ideas to keep you entertained!

So let’s get into our 63 best screen-free activities.

63 Screen-Free Activities

Person holding a cup of coffee while watching the sunrise as part of a screen-free morning routine.

Screen-Free Activities for Adults

Are you struggling to find ways to unplug and enjoy the present moment without relying on your phone? These screen-free activities for adults offer a wide variety of ideas to help your relax and improve your mental health while also staying entertained and having fun. Whether you’re looking for solo activities or things to do with your family and friends, these screen-free activities will help you make the most of your time.

1. Start or end your day by finding somewhere nice to watch the sunrise or sunset. Go to a peaceful location and take in the beauty of nature. Don’t forget to leave your phone behind. No photos this time!

2. Get lost in the pages of a good book and escape into a new world. No matter the book, fiction or nonfiction, reading is a great way to unwind without a screen.

3. Take a visit to your local library or favorite bookstore. Browse the aisles and find your next new read or pick up an old favorite.

4. Go for a hike, bike ride, or drive and enjoy the fresh air and scenic views. It’s a great way to clear your mind and spend time outside of the house.

5. Set a timer and make a cozy nest for a bit of daydreaming time. Whether you want to work something out, come up with new ideals, or just hangout with your thoughts and dreams, this is a great screen-free activity to reconnect with your inner world.

6. Prepare a super cute picnic basket filled with your favorite foods and head to nearby park for a peaceful picnic. It’s a simple way to spend some time with yourself or with loved ones.

7. Be a tourist in your own city for a day. Visit local landmarks, museums, or hidden gems that you might have never been to as a local resident.

8. Spend the day immersing yourself in art or history at a gallery or museum. It’s a perfect way to get inspired!

9. Whether you are in the mood to buy or just to browse, take a trip to your local shopping area or mall and go shopping (or window shopping!)

10. Try making a new recipe and get creative in the kitchen. You can cook or bake, either way experiment with new flavors and enjoy the process of making something from scratch.

11. Dust off the guitar (or piano or clarinet) that’s been sitting in the corner and get back in the habit of playing an instrument. Music is a great screen-free activity and you will feel the time fly by.

12. Have you ever tried enjoying a meal without any distractions? No screens, no conversations, no phone calls, just you and your food. Pay attention to the flavors, textures, and the joy of eating mindfully. Some people even call this a form of mediation.

13. Get ahead of your busy schedule by meal-prepping for the week. It’s productive, time-saving, and can be surprisingly relaxing. Plus, future you will thank you.

14. Choose one area of your home and do a total declutter or deep clean. Whether it’s a closet, kitchen drawer, or bookshelf, you’ll feel accomplished and refreshed with a newly tidied space.

15. Go through your closet and do a closet clear-out. Take everything out of your wardrobe and sort out the items you no longer want. Donate or sell the items you no longer need and make space for some new items to freshen things up.

16. Get crafty and unleash your creativity into a new craft project. Whether it’s knitting, painting, candle making, it’s a great way to unwind and make something pretty.

17. Plan an Artist Date for yourself by setting some time aside for a creative solo sesh. Gather the materials you need to try something new and enjoy the little bit of time for your digital detox.

18. Reflect on the things you’re thankful for by starting or updating a gratitude journal. It’s a powerful way to boost your mood and focus on positivity.

19. Find a cozy spot, grab a cup of tea, and listen to an album from start to finish. Whether it’s an old favorite or something brand new, let the music carry you away as you focus solely on the sound.

20. Pamper yourself with a hair or nail appointment. It’s a fun way to take care of yourself and enjoy some time without screens.

21. Catch up with an old friend by meeting up for coffee, or go the old-school route and write them a heartfelt letter. It’s a meaningful way to nurture one of our most important assets: our relationships.

22. Put your phone away and engage in a deep, meaningful conversation with a loved one. You can also strengthen your bond through physical touch, like hugging or holding hands…or even make it a little spicier. Why not?

23. Spend some time in nature. Whether you enjoy tanning on the beach, going for a swim, fishing, or just a simple wander under the trees, getting out of the house and enjoying everything this world has to offer is an excellent way to take care of your mental health. Did you know that just 15 minutes outside can have a positive impact on reducing stress and anxiety?

24. Practice some self-care with an at-home face mask or pedicure. Get creative and create the ultimate pampering experience at home.

Woman practicing meditation as part of a screen-free morning routine for relaxation.

Screen-Free Morning Activities: Ideas for your Screen-Free Morning Routine

Have you ever noticed that on mornings when you go directly on your phone, it sets a weird tone for the day. Maybe you just feel a little bit more stressed and anxious? Starting your day without a screen can have a great positive impact on your mood and productivity. Incorporating these screen-free activities into your morning routine can make you feel more present, have better energy levels, and be more mindful. There are so many lovely ways to spend your morning from a quiet cup of coffee and a journal to short breathwork sessions. These screen-free activities for adults will help you design a morning routine that nourishes you for the day ahead.

25. Start your day with a long and relaxing Everything Shower where you take the time to wash your hair, exfoliate, and care for your body. It’s a great way to feel refreshed and clean for the day ahead.

26. Grab a notebook and start your morning with some journaling. Whether you prefer stream-of-consciousness writing like morning pages or guided prompts, it can be a big help in clearing the mind and reflecting before setting an intention for the day ahead.

27. You can also do some gratitude journaling by writing down three or more things that you’re thankful for. Starting the day with gratitude actually changes the way we think to a mindset of abundance instead of scarcity.

28. Whether it’s gentle yoga, a long walk, morning stretches, or our favorite workout class, moving your body first thing can have a positive effect on your mood and energy levels throughout the day.

29. Try spending 10 to 20 minutes reading a personal development book in the morning. Pick something that inspires your growth or self-reflection. Or you can look for something that will help you cultivate better habits, mindsets, and perspectives.

30. Dedicate some time to your spiritual practice. Whether that means prayer, meditation, or reading spiritual texts, it’s a great screen-free activity to start the day feeling connected and grounded.

31. Spend a few minutes practicing meditation or breathwork to calm your mind and connect with your inner self before the day begins. Just 5 minutes of mindful breathing can help reduce stress level throughout the day and even increase productivity.

32. Take some time to review your goals and plan for the day ahead. You can create a simple to do list or a calendar blocking exercise. Even just a simple intention statement for the day can go a long way.

33. Spend a couple of minutes tidying up your space and start the day with a clean and organized surrounding to help you feel more focused and productive.

34. Whip up a delicious and nutritious high-protein breakfast to give your mind and body the fuel it needs to perform at its best.

Hands working with clay in a pottery class, a creative screen-free hobby.

Screen-Free Hobbies To Try

If you’re looking for relaxing and fulfilling hobbies that will help bring down your daily screen time, this section is for you! Engaging in screen-free hobbies is a great way to relax and connect with your inner world. Whether it’s a bit of crafting, learning a musical instrument, or taking up calligraphy, these activities can help you improve your mental health while also offering a profound sense of accomplishment. Dive into these screen-free activities for adults and discover new ways to enjoy your free time while leaving the digital world behind.

35. If you’re feeling a little bored at home, why not start a new DIY project around your home? Whether you want to add an accent wall, redo your porch, or build your dream closet, the opportunities are limitless and you’ll build skills while making your space nicer.

36. If you’re someone who loves to do things with your hands, you should definitely give pottery a try. There is something so therapeutic about working with clay.

37. Do you love making art but the pressure of what to make stops you every time? Why not try an adult coloring book? It makes painting and coloring really easy and is a super relaxing activity you can easily take with you on the go.

38. Knitting and crocheting are classic hobbies for a reason. They hit the trifecta of entertaining, relaxing, and productive. Not only will the time pass quickly, you’ll also notice a feeling of calm relaxation that comes with working with your hands but in the end you’ll have a beautiful hat, scarf, or sweater to wear.

39. No matter how small your space, you have room for a small home garden. Indoors or outdoors, you can grow flowers, herbs, and veggies to enjoy in your kitchen. Get creative with the space you have and you’ll be surprised with just how much you can produce!

40. Whether you were captain of your high-school sports team or never learned to throw a ball, it’s never too late to learn a new sport. Get creative, try muggle quidditch, fencing, or roller derby.

41. Every year I put volunteering on my list of New Year’s resolutions and sadly many years go by when I don’t make the time for a weekly giving back session. Volunteering is not only a great way to help those in need, it’s also a great way to meet new people and connect with your local community.

42. Have you ever been totally envious of someone’s beautiful handwriting? If so, now is your time to try calligraphy. Learning how to hand letter is a calming creative outlet that comes in handy next time you need to write a birthday card.

43. We are in the times of endless digital photo albums and sadly scrapbooking has become far less common. Why not try to reverse the trend and make a keepsake scrapbook album to capture your most precious memories.

Family enjoying screen-free time in a cozy indoor blanket fort.

Screen-Free Family Activities

Spending quality time with your family is so important and doesn’t have to involve screens. These fun and creative screen-free activities for adults and kids will help you bond with those most dear to you while taking a break from your phones. From building indoor pillow forts to creating your own board games, these activities will encourage teamwork and bring out your imagination. With these screen-free family activities, you can create lasting memories while doing a little digital detox together.

44. Host your own family Olympics in your backyard or local park. Include activities like sack races, hula hoop contests, and three-legged races. Make homemade awards to celebrate the winners.

45. Get creative and design your own board game together. Come up with a set of rules and create the board and game pieces. Choose a theme that best represents your family.

46. Create your own scavenger hunt by hiding clues around your house and yard and send your family to find the hidden treasures. You can even pick a theme!

47. Gather all your pillows, blankets, and cushions to build an epic indoor pillow fort! Once constructed, enjoy a movie night, some storytelling or an indoor picnic.

48. Come up with your own secret handshake that only you and your family members know. Practice until everyone has it down and use it as a special greeting whenever you’re together.

49. If you have the space and the tools, take on the ultimate challenge of building a treehouse together. It can be as simple or as complex as you make it!

50. Host a family talent show. Start by setting the stage and instructing each family member to showcase their unique and maybe hidden talents. You can even turn it into an annual tradition!

51. Divide into teams and turn tonight’s dinner into a family cooking challenge. Each team is responsible for making one dish. The catch? You can only use ingredients already in the house.

52. Create a time capsule together by filling a box with family mementos such as letters, old tickets, photos, and more. Seal it up and pick a future date to open it up together.

Woman playing tennis as part of an outdoor screen-free activity.

Screen-Free Games for Solo or Group Play

When you think of games, you probably think of CandyCrush or other phone games first, but games don’t have to involve screens to be fun! There are countless screen-free games you can play alone or with friends and family. These no screen activities help to engage your mind and encourage a little friendly competition to keep you entertained for hours without a single device in sight. Dive into these screen-free games and just how much fun they can be!

53. Dust off your old board games and do a speed round of each to decide on your favorites and least favorites.

54. Join a local sports league and play your favorite sport on a weekly or monthly basis to get in some exercise, meet new people, and have some screen-free time.

55. Give an old-fashioned hand-written game of Sudoku a try. You can print some templates from the internet or make your own by filling out a 9×9 grid with numbers so that each column, row, and 3×3 subgrid contains every digit from 1 to 9.

56. Fill out your local paper’s weekly crossword puzzle. This is a classic trope from movies so why not act like the main character you are and give one a try.

57. Speaking of puzzles, whether you’re alone or in a group, jigsaw puzzles are a great way to spend some no-screen time. We love these magic puzzles because they do a little magic trick when you finish them.

58. Remember your old friend Solitaire? Grab a deck of cards and play a few peaceful rounds of this solo activity.

59. Practice your creative writing skills by giving yourself a random writing prompt and taking 10 to 15 minutes to write a short story, poem, or journal entry. If you like what you’ve written you can use it as the foundation for a longer writing exercise.

60. Enjoy the hilariously chaotic version of the classic game Charades with Reverse Charades. Instead of one person acting while the rest of the group guesses, the entire group must act out a word or phrase where one person tries to guess.

61. Make a human knot and try to untangle yourselves in record time! To play, stand in a circle and grab the hands of two different people across from you. Without letting go, try to untangle yourselves back into a circle.

62. Create a DIY Murder Mystery game where someone has “committed a crime” and players have to figure out who the “murderer” is.

63. Build your own Escape Room in A Box using clues, locks, and riddles. Players must solve the puzzles to escape within a pre-set amount of time.

Final Thoughts

We take care of ourselves in many ways but an often forgotten way is nurturing our mental health.

In today’s world, this aspect of our well-being is more threatened and therefore more important than ever before.

Screen can have a negative effect on our mental health in many ways. In fact, recent studies show that excessive screen time in children can lead to depression, anxiety, and social anxiety due to changes in the way our brains develop. It’s actually similar to the effect that happens when excessive alcohol is consumed before the brain has finished developing. Pretty scary right?

If we’re not mindful of our screen time, we can easily spend 10+ hours every day on our laptops, phones, and watching TV.

That’s why it’s so important to make time for screen-free activities in your daily routine.

We hope that this list makes it just that much easier.

Please let us know in the comments below if you try any of these activities!

Good luck,

A small note for my readers – Over here at VLHhealth, we occasionally include affiliate links in our posts. This means that if you purchase using my links, I will earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.