Screen-Time Alternatives for Kids: Creative Missions They Can Start on Their Own

Take the tablet away and you often get a fight, then "I'm bored". Taking the screen away is the easy part. The hard part is having something ready to put in its place: something your child actually wants to do, that doesn't need you to plan it.

These are the questions parents of children aged 6–12 ask most, with honest answers.

When the screen goes off, what goes in its place?

My child is always on the phone or tablet. What can I do?

Instead of only saying "put it down", offer something specific to do instead, something that sparks curiosity. A Barti mission is a short creative challenge: your child listens to Barti tell the mission, then makes something on paper that is entirely their own.

How do I cut screen time without a fight every day?

Swap rather than ban. A predictable moment ("after school, a Barti mission") is easier to accept than a sudden "no", and a challenge with no right or wrong answer feels like play, not homework. It won't solve every argument, but it gives you something better to offer than "go and find something to do".

Is there something we can start in 10–15 minutes?

Yes. Printing a mission takes a minute, the materials are simple (paper, colours, a few everyday objects) and Barti tells the mission out loud in about a minute through a QR code. Most missions last 20–50 minutes, and your child can stop and come back later.

When your child says "I'm bored"

What can my child do at home when they're bored?

Something that starts with a question rather than an instruction. Each Barti mission gives a clear starting point (two objects to find, two animals to mix, three colours to explore) and lets the child decide what to make.

My child doesn't want the same colouring pages again. Is this just another worksheet?

No. A colouring page or a worksheet has one right answer. A Barti mission has no model to copy: it doesn't tell your child what to draw, it gets them thinking, so two children with the same mission make two different things.

How can I help my child's imagination grow?

Give them a starting point instead of a finished example, ask "tell me about this part" instead of correcting, and let them give their work a title. Imagination grows when children get to make real choices.

When your child says "I can't draw"

My child says "I can't draw" and gives up. What should I do?

It's very common between 7 and 9, when children start comparing their drawings with what they see around them. We wrote a whole article about it: “I can't draw”: what to say when your child gives up.

Does my child need to be good at drawing for Barti?

No. Barti doesn't need talent. Every mission is about the child's own idea, not about drawing "well", and there is no example to measure up to.

My child copies other people's drawings. Will this help?

It can. Copying is how many children feel safe. With no model on the sheet and a question to answer, there is nothing to copy, and the child gets to say "I thought of this".

How much of your time it takes

You don't need another activity to organise. Barti gives your child one to discover.

How much of my time does it need?

A few minutes: print the sheet, set out the materials and, the first few times, listen to Barti together. Then step back. Each mission comes with a short guide for the grown-up that explains how to support without taking over.

Can my child do it without me?

The missions marked "On your own", such as The Bizarre Characters, Brand New Creature and The Magic of Colour, are designed for children to carry out by themselves once they've started. Younger children, and missions with scissors or paint, need an adult nearby.

Can they do it while I work or cook dinner?

Yes, that's what the "On your own" missions are for: an adult nearby, not an adult at the table.

How do we start the first time?

Print the sheet, scan the QR code together and listen to Barti, put out the materials, and let your child decide what to make. For the first two or three missions, explore together; after that, many children open the mission on their own.

Do I need to find a new activity every day?

No. Each mission is a complete activity, and a simple rhythm works well: one mission a week, on the same day. Packs of five missions give you several weeks ready to go.

Isn't Barti digital too?

Does my child do the activity on a screen?

No. The mission is a printed sheet, and your child draws, cuts, paints and builds on paper, in the real world.

Will my child still be looking at a phone?

Only for about a minute, to scan the QR code and listen to Barti tell the mission. The screen starts the activity; the child takes it from there. No app and no account are needed.

Try one free

The Bizarre Characters is free: we send it by e-mail. Other missions cost £1.99 each for families.

See all missions