Working from home with young kids is like trying to do your job inside a bouncy castle—while someone throws toast at you. You’re expected to be productive, professional, and present, while your offspring loudly debate the fairness of who got the “better” bowl of cereal.
If you want toget stuff done without handing them a screen, it helps to have a few tricks up your sleeve—ones that don’t require constant supervision or creative input from you.
Here are 10 genuinely independent, screen-free activities that will keep primary-aged children busy for 30 minutes or more while you crack on.
Lego Free Build Challenge
Give them a simple prompt like “build a zoo,” “make your dream house,” or “invent a robot.” Then step back and let them design, build, and redesign for as long as they want. No instructions, no rules.
Why it works:
Kids get absorbed in creative building, and the open-ended nature keeps them engaged longer than structured sets. Throw in a small notebook and ask them to name each thing they build—it adds an extra layer of thought and extends the activity.
Sticker Book Time Trials
Sticker books are the quiet, mess-free, parental gift from above. Offer a new book (or an old one they’ve half-finished), set a timer challenge (“Can you finish this page before lunch?”) and let them lose themselves in peeling and placing.
Why it works:
It’s soothing, satisfying, and doesn’t need adult help. The more detailed the sticker book, the longer they’ll stay engaged—especially if there’s a theme they love like dinosaurs, animals, or vehicles.
Drawing Prompt Jar
Fill a jar with written drawing prompts: “a dragon eating spaghetti,” “your family as superheroes,” or “design a new planet.” They pick one, draw it, then pick another when they’re done.
Why it works:
Each prompt can spark 10–15 minutes of focused drawing. Stack a few and you’ve got a full hour. Plus, if they show you at the end, they get your attention after your call, not during.
Toy Safari
Give them a checklist of 10 or more toys or objects to find around the house: “Find an animal with stripes,” “Find something soft and green,” “Find a toy smaller than your hand.” They collect everything into a ‘safari box’ (or laundry basket) and report back.
Why it works:
It combines movement, focus, and a sense of purpose. The more creative and varied the list, the longer it lasts—and you can easily change it up the next day.
Play Dough Creation Station
Set out some pots of play dough, plastic cutlery, and a few accessories (like cookie cutters, bottle tops, or toy animals). Give them a challenge—like a play dough picnic or alien world—and leave them to it.
Why it works:
It’s tactile, calming, and creative. Children get absorbed in sculpting and storytelling without needing input. Just pop a mat down first and check for rogue dough later.
Independent Puzzle Time
Age-appropriate jigsaw puzzles, tangram sets, or logic puzzle books can easily eat up half an hour or more—especially if you set them up as a “mission” to complete before snack time.
Why it works:
It’s quiet, it promotes focus, and if you rotate puzzles every few days, it doesn’t get stale. Some kids will even create their own puzzles from cut-up drawings if you suggest it once.
DIY Comic Book Station
All you need is folded paper or a cheap sketchpad, some colouring pens, and a simple prompt: “Make your own comic book.” If they want structure, suggest a hero, a problem, and a funny ending.
Why it works:
Kids love telling stories—and they’ll often spend ages drawing panels and thinking up dialogue. Bonus points if they act out the story later (you don’t even have to watch until your work is done).
Sensory Box (Dry Edition)
Fill a large tray or box with safe dry items like dry pasta, rice, lentils, plastic animals, spoons, tubs, and scoops. Give them a “mission”—like rescuing animals, burying treasure, or just cooking in a pretend kitchen.
Why it works:
Sensory play holds attention without screens or supervision, and as long as you avoid anything spillable or sharp, it’s low-mess and self-contained. Just stick a towel underneath if you’re worried about cleanup.
Magazine Collage Challenge
Give your child a couple of old magazines or catalogues (IKEA ones work brilliantly), scissors with rounded tips, a glue stick, and a sheet of paper. Their job: make a themed collage—like “dream bedroom” or “craziest monster.”
Why it works:
Cutting and pasting is slow, careful work—and kids love choosing and arranging their images. It’s creative, independent, and great for motor skills. Just keep the glue stick away from the carpet.
Fort Building with a Twist
Let them raid the sofa cushions, blankets, and pegs—but give it structure. For example: “Build a pirate ship where you can read a book,” or “Make a secret spy den with three hidden entrances.”
Why it works:
Fort-building feels adventurous but requires quiet planning and problem-solving. Once the fort’s built, they’ll often stay in it playing, reading, or just chilling for ages. And yes, you can enforce a “no dad allowed” rule until 5pm.
Now Get to Work
Keeping kids busy without screens while you work from home is a delicate balance. You want something engaging but not loud. Creative but not chaotic. Independent but not so exciting that they insist you join in.
These activities are designed to last beyond the usual five-minute novelty window and to buy you enough time to actually concentrate. They’re also low-prep, safe for kids to do solo, and—most importantly—don’t involve any YouTube unboxing videos.
Some days everything works and you feel like a multitasking superhero. Other days, the only thing keeping everyone afloat is snacks and sarcasm. Either way, having a few screen-free wins in your back pocket can make all the difference.