In a world where one in four kids under six has a smartphone, we’ve come up with a list of activities, in association with Fruit Shoot™ , that will entice your children away from their screen. Who needs a tablet or TV when you've got so many other amazing things to do this summer?

Why play Minecraft in a stuffy room, when you can go out in the fresh air and do a scavenger hunt, or build your own den?

By showing them there’s a whole world out there waiting to be explored, it’ll be easy-peasy to convince them that real-life adventures are so much better than virtual ones – and that's indoors as well outdoors. Honest!

Although educational apps can help your kids learn, there’s so much more beyond screens that can help your child learn and develop a whole range of skills, from teamwork and spatial awareness to creativity, imagination and problem-solving.

All these skills can help your child to grow into a well-rounded human who’s happy and healthy - and which parent doesn’t want that for their kids?

For example, studies have found that spending time in the outdoors is not only good for hearts, but also for minds.

Meanwhile, learning to play an instrument not only helps develop your child’s memory, but it also helps them learn about teamwork by playing as a duet or in an orchestra, improves their reading and comprehension skills, and teaches them a lot about perseverance.

Read on for 50 ideas for how you can inspire your kids to get active and ‘find their thing’. Who knows what their passion could be if they'd only put those screens down once in a while!

And for even more ideas for activities and classes, check out our free SeeSaw app.

1 Paint some rocks

Bear with us here. First of all, you’ll need to go out and find some rocks. You’re aiming for ones that can fit in your or your child’s palm. Paint them however you like, but as brightly as possible. Then varnish them, so that you can …

2 Hide rocks in your local park or woods

It’s an idea that’s grown in popularity over the years in places like America, and people are starting to do it here, too. It’s a brilliant way to get kids out and about, exploring in nature.

Start by seeing if there’s a local ‘rocks’ group in your local area. Usually, it’s your town’s name, followed by ‘rocks’ (eg there’s a #StAlbansRocks). You can hide rocks you’ve painted, or look for others that have been hidden. Once you’ve found one, just rehide it, for others to find.

Not only will kids enjoy expressing themselves creatively by painting the rocks, but they'll love stumbling across other hidden rocks, and have loads of fun hiding them.

3 Build a den

Woods and forests are also great places to build dens. Many places have den-building areas. Just make sure your one passes the water-tightness test in case it rains!

4 Identify trees

Print off some pictures of well known trees from the Internet, and see if you can identify them from their leaves. This is better in the summer, before the leaves fall, but there’s nothing to stop you from identifying the evergreens in the autumn and winter, too!

5 Go on a themed forest trail

After the success of The Gruffalo forest trails, the Forestry Commission has launched a whole new trail theme this year, based on another of Julia Donaldson’s books, the Highway Rat. Kids will love spotting the picture book characters as they wander the trail, which can be found in 21 forests around England.

As well as having fun spotting the characters, going for a walk in the woods can have huge benefits for your and your child's mental health. A report published in 2016 by Natural England showed that doing nature-based activities can help reduce levels of anxiety, stress and depression.

6 Plant and decorate a strawberry pot

Your kids can have adventures in their very own back garden!

Head to the garden centre to pick up a strawberry plant and a pot, which they can decorate with some paint. Their job is to water and nurture the plant, to hopefully harvest some lovely red berries throughout the summer.

7 Do a wildlife hunt

Either in your garden, nearest park or woods. Tick off how many mini-beasts you can spot with a magnifying glass.

8 Grow some watercress

All you need are some watercress seeds, cotton wool, a plastic cup or yoghurt pot, and some water.

The great thing about this activity is that you can do it indoors – and they should grow quite quickly, too.

9 Explore your nearest village

Villages often have activities like a summer fete, open gardens days for charity, and scarecrow festivals. Have a look on the SeeSaw app to see what’s on, near you.

10 Fly a kite

Whether you make a kite or buy one, on a windy day, there’s nothing more satisfying than flying a kite in a big open space.

11 Decorate a suncatcher wind chime

Draw some pretty web-like patterns on a circular piece of tracing paper, about the size of a cup, and colour them in.

Make a hole in the top, where you can put a loop of string to hang it up by, and attach a row of a few sticks scavenged from your forest visits, so that they hang from the bottom of your pretty suncatcher. An easy craft for kids.

12 Visit a model village

What’s even more fun than a normal village? A model one! Little ones in particular love seeing replicas of real-life things that are almost as big as them.

13 Go to a local school fete

Many schools have a summer or autumn fete, with lots of activities like hunts, tombolas and raffles. And when you need a break from the chaos, there’s usually some tea and cake you can munch on, knowing that you’re donating to a good cause.

14 Do a park or fun run

You don’t always have to be a runner to take part in a park or fun run, which makes this a good activity for kids who can’t run long distances.

Even if you’re walking, it's the taking part that counts! A brisk walk or running can help your child build stamina, as well as contribute to a healthier heart.

15 Visit a city farm

City farms are great for exposing city-dwelling kids to a bit of rural life, and many are free.

16 Go to the zoo

If pigs and llamas aren’t enough for your kids, take them to the zoo to see some wilder animals.

17 Go to an aquarium

Aquariums are a good option for rainy days when you want to see some animals but don’t fancy traipsing around a muddy farm or a soggy zoo.

18 Check out your nearest children’s centre

You might not have gone to your children’s centre since your youngest child’s latest development check, but it’s worth seeing what activities they put on. There are usually some activities put on for free in local parks during the summer holidays.

19 Visit a stately home

Full of history, stately homes usually have some brilliant gardens and open space, if not a maze and playground as well.

They're a great way to learn a bit about how people used to live in the past, and to see how things have changed!

20 Go to your town’s local museum

Often free to residents at least, your town’s museum is usually a great place to hang out, especially if the weather isn’t great. And if you live near a big city like London or Manchester, the world’s your oyster when it comes to free museums!).

An opportunity for your child to learn about their local community, and some might even host special hunts, or craft activities.

21 Go to your local library

Another good idea for a rainy day. Why not expand their minds with words and pictures from a good old book or magazine, instead of a screen for once?

22 Play board games

Board games aren’t just for Christmas! A good round of Scrabble or Guess Who? can be as competitive as any computer game.

23 Become a pavement artist

Drawing with chalk is huge fun, and less mess for you to tidy up, as it just washes away in the rain.

24 Host a playdate

And make sure it’s reciprocated! Having your kids’ friends over for a few hours (and banning screens for the duration) is an easy way to keep them entertained. It’s amazing what imaginative and creative play can happen when kids are left to make up their own games.

25 Organise a mini Olympics

Best with a small group of kids, you can do this in your garden, or at the park. Just set up some running tracks, hurdles, relays, shot puts (with tennis balls). You could even do a medal ceremony at the end.

26 Declutter your kids’ toy box/playroom

This is a good way of reminding your kids of what toys they have, other than technology.

Of course you’ll probably find that getting your kids involved in deciding what to get rid of will end up with you keeping everything as they reminisce over old toys, but at least they're choosing toys over tablets!

27 Baking

Bake some cupcakes, muffins or a traybake - and maybe invite your neighbours round for a slice! Find recipes here.

28 Build a fort

Upend your sofa cushions, get the duvets and sheets out, and build the biggest and best fort you can. Make it super comfortable, and you can sit in it and read some books by the light of a torch.

29 Camp in the garden

If the weather’s nice, this is a lovely one to do (with the added bonus of not having to trek miles to the campsite loos). Kids will love the adventure of camping outside. If they’re not quite ready for that, set up a small tent in the living room – it’ll have a similar effect!

30 Have a picnic

Eating outside on a picnic blanket, in your garden or at the park, always seems to make food taste better! And they can run around in the open space, or play in the playground, afterwards.

31 Play card games

For little ones, memory games are great, and when they’re older, there’s everything from Snap to Rummy to Solitaire.

32 Play old-school playground games

If you have a hula hoop or skipping rope, these are ideal (and cheap) outdoor toys that can provide hours of entertainment. You can also use your pavement chalk to draw out the classic hopscotch.

33 Go swimming

Great exercise for your whole body, indoor (so perfect for rainy days), AND a useful life skill. What’s not to love?

34 Make paper aeroplanes

Have a competition to see who can make the most aerodynamic paper aeroplane. It’s fun to see who can make one that can fly the furthest!

35 Build a cardboard city

Is it a castle? Is it a car? No, it’s a cardboard box!

36 Visit a circus

Amazing acrobatics and hilarious slapstick comedy – a circus is a fun day out for the whole family that might inspire an interest in activities such as gymnastics in your little one.

37 Go to a splash park

Take a picnic and you can spend all day at your local splash park on a hot summer’s day.

38 Organise a treasure or scavenger hunt

The kind of activity that kids don’t even realise is making them active, as they run around, searching for those clues and treats!

39 Do a high-wire course

High-wire courses with ziplines and climbing walls are ideal for little adventure seekers.

40 Indoor rock climbing

It’s exciting, fun, and a full-body workout. If your kid loves climbing on your furniture, this might be the activity for them!

41 See a show

Very little beats the experience of a live-action show. And it doesn’t have to be expensive productions in London, either. Many shows tour the country, and you can always see what’s on for the family at your local theatre.

42 Have a dance party

All you need is music. Have a dance-off with your child in the privacy of your living room. See who can pull off the most hilarious dance moves!

43 Put on a play

After being inspired by what you saw at the theatre, why not act out some scenes from your favourite theatre or TV show, for your family to come and watch?

44 Make and bury a time capsule

Get a metal or hard plastic box that has a lid. Fill it with memorable things like a copy of the day’s newsletter, a small teddy and so on. Dig a hole and bury it in the garden – don’t forget to mark where you buried it, so that you can find it again in a few years’ time!

45 Go fruit picking

Find your nearest pick-your-own farm and aim to eat your bodyweight in fruit (well, almost!) as you pick in-season fruits.

46 Go for a hike

It doesn’t have to be too difficult a hike, especially if you have little ones with little legs. Put on some sturdy walking shoes and explore natural areas nearby.

47 Go for a bike ride

A fantastic way to get around once all the kids have mastered the skill of riding a bike – whether it’s just to the shops, or on an off-roading adventure.

48 Go to a theme park

Probably best as a treat, due to the cost of going to one (unless you’ve got a season pass). You'll do a surprising amount of walking at a theme park, and some might have zoos and play areas, as well.

49 Play ball games

Whether it’s football, basketball, or just catch and piggy-in-the-middle. A simple ball can provide endless forms of play.

50 Learn to play an instrument

This skill will give your child a passion for life, that doesn’t involve any screens. There are loads of instruments you can choose from, from guitar to piano, and violin to the flute.

And a bonus one - make a boredom jar. Write all 50 ideas you've just read through onto wooden lolly sticks, and put them in a boredom jar.

The next time you restrict screen time, point your kids to the jar, and let them pick out an activity.

Check out what Play England has to offer

Why not head to your nearest Play England adventure playground where your child can build a den, cook on a campfire and make new friends.

Usually free of charge, they help children build confidence and resilience – offering challenging but safe places to play, staffed by skilled playworkers.

Find your nearest one by visiting the Play England website.

Play England, an independent charity, relies on donations to fund its work to give children the freedom and space to play outdoors. Show your support by clicking here to donate.