I’m a Mom of 3 — Here Are Some of My Favorite Tips to Help Reduce My Children’s Screen Time

The Yoto Player is a screen-free audio device that allows your children access to music, books, and stories. More content can be unlocked by purchasing Yoto Cards to insert into the device.

“It truly does engage your child,” says editorial director Simone Scully. “My son loved being able to pick out his own stories and listen to them at night, when he got home from school, or in the car on long road trips.”

Editor Olivia Campbell says, “I love that the books go to higher ages than other kids' audiobook devices, and that the book cards are small and easy to store.”

The Yoto Player is a great choice for kids of all ages. A smaller and less expensive Yoto Mini is also available. It offers nearly all of the same features in a more portable size.

The Read To Me Recordable Book Buddy is an easy-to-use device with a built-in microphone and voice recorder that allows you to record yourself reading any book in your library. Your child can then listen to you reading the book any time.

It makes a great gift. “I think having this ability, especially for connecting to relatives far away, is worth it,” says writer Sadie Crouch.

Each device can record one storybook. It can even be used to help children learn to read. “My son was able to read along, since he is still learning, with my voice,” says Crouch. The instructions are easy to follow, too, she says.

The TonieBox 2 is an audio player for young children that provides screen-free access to books, music, and stories in an easy-to-use format. Scully says this device can be used by children ages 1 year old and up. The character figurines provide access to new content; all children have to do is pop the figurines on top of the box.

According to Scully, the TonieBox 2 is more durable than the original TonieBox. It also includes a ring light that functions as both a nightlight and a sunrise alarm. “It's great for setting routines, and makes the TonieBox 2 more versatile,” she says.

Looking for books that will engage your beginner reader? This set of encyclopedias is made for kids ages 3 to 6. Scully says her 6-year-old son adored them. “He fell in love with these very quickly and spent more time reading through them than he ever has with other animal books I've gotten him.”

The set includes four hardcover books: Oceans, Rainforests, Savannas, and Polar Regions. Each book is 50 pages long and contains full-color photography, stories, and facts about animals and their natural environments. 

CocoWyo coloring books are simple and cute, and they're designed for creative expression for people of all ages. If you've ever seen any super-impressive coloring pages on TikTok or Instagram Reels, you were probably looking at a CocoWyo coloring page. Several CocoWyo books are available to choose from.

“It's different from a traditional coloring book in that my daughter can use markers without worrying about them bleeding through to the next page,” says editor Ashley Ziegler. She also likes that the book is whimsical and cute without seeming overly childish. The simple pages are also easy for kids to color in a single sitting.

My 5-year-old has three great passions: crafts, jewelry, and stickers. If your child is similar, then they'll probably love this unique jewelry-making set.

The “beads” are actually rolls of tiny stickers that your kids can share with friends, trade, or decorate with. “My kids have been obsessed with Sticki Rolls for a while. It's all the rage for kids under age 10,” says writer Ysolt Usigan. “They love making bracelets with them.”

This set comes with the supplies needed to make five bracelets and two necklaces, and it contains 320 stickers in total.

Have an aspiring musician in your home? These bright and colorful drumsticks are a collaboration between Zildjian and Crayola made for smaller hands. Bonus? Thanks to the included drum pad, this is a much more affordable and quiet way to see if your child is interested in pursuing drumming.

“I loved reading about the health and psychological benefits of drumming on the Zildjian website, and I love that my kids can practice drumming without all the noise,” says writer and editor Nicole Bonaccorso.

Each set comes with six kid-sized drumsticks in a Crayola-styled box and a mat for your child to practice their drumming skills on.

If your kids always want to color, these pajamas can keep them occupied much longer than a coloring sheet can. The pajamas are made from bamboo and are covered with intricate but kid-friendly patterns — unicorn, dinosaur, mermaid, space, Christmas, birthday, and Hanukkah — all ready to be colored in. You can add fabric markers to your order for a small extra fee.

According to Crouch, the pajamas are stretchy, breathable, and comfortable for both of her kids. “It's a great activity that can take up a lot of time,” she says. “I think it's an excellent idea for unique gift-giving.”

Do you have a teen who can't sit still, but who may be a little old for traditional fidget toys like spinners or pop-its? The Olander Earthworks Infinite Play Wonderscape would be a great addition to their desk or side table.

It's a well-made base that holds sand and three patterned spheres, which can be rolled around in the sand to make unique shapes and designs.

Crouch says it's beautiful and obviously handcrafted. “It is really mesmerizing to play with,” she says. “For someone who wants to leave it out as decor and use it often, the price point might be worth it.”

The Acorns Project Painting Kit makes for a quick and easy craft for your child. It features everything your child needs to paint three wooden acorns, which are meant to represent hope, positivity, and a connection to nature. This cute painting set includes a paintbrush, paint palette, eight tubes of acrylic paint, a spill-resistant water cup, and the wooden acorns.

The acorns are tiny, so the project itself took my daughter only about 10 minutes. However, all of the other supplies included are reusable. I really appreciate the spill-resistant cup for washing off paintbrushes, and the acrylic paint tubes contain enough paint for several more painting projects.

Have a kid who can keep up on a family bike ride? The woom Go 4 is meant for kids ages 6 and up who are ready to navigate gear-switching.

The gear switch on the handlebar has easy-to-read pictures that help kids understand what each gear means. With 20-inch (in) tires, flashy colors (like powder pink, woom red, and metallic blue), a kickstand, and handbrakes, the bike is ready to ride on more-difficult terrain that a balance bike or a bike with training wheels typically couldn’t handle.

The aluminum body is lightweight, making uphill treks a bit easier. “The bike is lightweight and really sleek; I may be biased, but my kid looks super-cool on it,” says writer and editor Katrina Cossey. “I also love the visual picture for switching gears, which helps kids determine what gear they're in.”

Rollerblading is a great way to get your older kids outside and moving. And these budget-friendly, highly-adjustable Bladerunner skates can keep growing with your kids for years. (Oh, I only wish shoes could do the same.) The Phoenix G skates are pink and white, but several other color options are available.

“They're very secure,” says Ziegler. “They have laces and two straps, and I'm able to get them tight enough that my daughter's feet don't wobble, protecting her ankles, while still being comfortable for her.”

Balance bikes are small, simple bikes that lack both pedals and training wheels, and they can help your toddler improve their balance. Some children are able to transition straight from balance bikes to bicycles without training wheels.

My daughter loves her Strider bike. The quality is impressive, and it's got no-flat tires, so it can hold up to even the rowdiest toddlers.

Bonaccorso tested the new Strider 12" Comp with her 2-year-old. “You don't need tools to set this bike up or adjust it,” she says. “It's totally made of plastic, so it's super-lightweight, which is kind of a cool concept that I wasn't expecting. That makes it perfect for little kids.” The Comp is also more affordable than other models Strider offers.

Got a little one itching to take the wheel? They’ll be driving around in style with this battery-powered G Wagon from Freddo. You can choose between black and white, and kids will love that the LED headlights really light up and that they can take along a friend in the passenger’s seat. They can even play their own tunes thanks to the MP3 player.

Parents will feel safe that they can help control the vehicle using a remote control. Scully tested this out with her son and called it “impressive … and giant.” That said, it may be best for those with a larger yard and garage space.

A Pikler triangle is a popular Montessori-style toy that allows children to climb, balance, and rock safely, just a short distance from the ground. This Pikler triangle set contains a climbing arch that can also be used as a rocking seat, as well as a rock-climbing ramp that can be turned over to its flat side to be used as a slide.

Pikler triangles are typically suitable for toddlers and kids up to age 6, and they're a great way for kids to burn off energy indoors. “I love how brave my kids are on this thing,” says Bonaccorso. “I also love that there are several ways to set it up.”

This set is made from pine wood and features natural wood coloring with muted pastel accents, so it's not an eyesore.

This indoor playhouse is perfect as a launch pad for all kinds of imaginative play. It can be a castle, a restaurant, a vet's office, a store, or just a regular house.

“We set it up in our basement for now, and our girls loved 'decorating' it,” says Usigan. “It came with little embellishments that my daughters stuck on like they were 'moving in' and decorating their new home.”

Although it's made of cardboard, the doors are reinforced, and it appears to hold up well according to our research. Plus, it folds flat, so it can easily be stored away when your kids are done playing.

Lovevery makes high-quality, open-ended toys to inspire learning and imaginative play. The company offers several sets that are curated for certain ages. You can purchase them separately or sign up for a Lovevery subscription, which delivers age-appropriate toys, books, games, and activities for your child every two to three months.

My 2- and 5-year-old daughters tested the Helper Kit, which includes several toys for 2- to 3-year-olds. My 5-year-old still got plenty of enjoyment from them.

I was impressed with the sturdiness of all the toys. I could tell that they were well-made and high-quality. My kids have played with these toys almost daily since we received them, and they especially love the felt flowers.

Have builders in your home who aren't quite ready for Lego sets? (Or, maybe you just want to avoid stepping on Lego bricks; I can relate.) Connetix Magnetic Tiles allow your children to build almost anything they can dream up.

They're available in a variety of colors, and expansion packs are available for building more and bigger projects, like marble runs. They're also highly rated for their durability.

“My kids were thrilled when this arrived,” says Ziegler. “They've had it for about a week now, and at least one of them (if not both) has played with the set each day. It allows them to be creative and use their imaginations, and it's just fun!”

This set contains 60 pieces, and it's appropriate for ages 3 and up.

Building forts is a classic childhood experience, but using blankets and chairs and pillows can only take your fort so far. This set comes with 24 magnetic tiles (think huge Magna-Tiles), including one with a large opening that can be used as a door and two with smaller openings that can be used as windows.

“This was the perfect surprise to get my kids to turn the TV off and engage in some creativity and pretend play,” says Bonaccorso. Her kids played with these tiles for hours, and they loved brainstorming what to build and how to build it. 

I really dislike toys like slime and Play-Doh. Slime inevitably always finds its way onto my carpet or rugs, and Play-Doh dries out so easily. (Little ones aren't the best at remembering to close the lids.)

However, my whole family loves Kinetic Sand. I like that it doesn't dry out and that it's easy to clean up, and my kids love how much fun it is. This set comes with the sand itself, plus a toy blender to help your child make “smoothies.”

Ziegler says: "My kids love this set, because there's that extra layer of pretend with the little blender. It's also cute how you can use the blender lid to mold sand into fruit shapes for your smoothie.”

This toy is also less than $15, making it a fairly affordable gift.

All of my children are very interested in helping out in the kitchen, and my 10-year-old is starting to learn to cook on his own. The Pampered Chef Kids Club is a great way to foster your child's interest in cooking.

These kits ship out every two months, and they each contain one Pampered Chef cooking tool, one Pampered Chef pantry item, three recipes, and an achievement pin. I've used Pampered Chef products in the past, and I've always been impressed with their quality.

“I like that each box has a theme revolving around whatever tool they send,” says Scully, “and I like that your child gets an apron and pin themed to whatever you received, so that they can slowly track their progress as they learn new things.” She says the recipes are easy to follow and varied. She also appreciates that the box only ships every two months, so you don't become inundated with too many items.

This interactive game is endlessly entertaining for preschool-aged kids. It can also help them develop their logic and critical thinking skills. The game has 48 progressive challenges for your child to solve, and it comes with a storybook. It's well-made and highly rated. According to the manufacturer, it’s ideal for kids ages 4 through 7.

“This is a fun game we played over and over during the testing period,” says Bonaccorso, who tested it with her 4-year-old. “It challenges logic, spatial reasoning, and problem-solving for preschoolers and young kids.”

CrunchLabs is a STEM subscription box company owned by Mark Rober, a YouTube-famous engineer who used to work for NASA. The company offers three different STEM kits based on age: the Creative Kit for ages 6–10, the Build Box for ages 8–13, and the Hack Pack for ages 14 and up.

My 10-year-old has been receiving the engineering-focused Build Box for nearly one year now, and he's learned so many new scientific concepts (especially related to physics and engineering) since his subscription started.

“My kids had a lot of fun with the kits,” says Ziegler. “They are well-made, and I like that they come with everything you need to do the project.”

Is your kid an aspiring vet, zoologist, or marine biologist? (My kindergartener currently plans to be all of the above.) My ZooBox is an ideal screen-free subscription to sate their curiosity about the animal world. You can buy individual kits without signing up for the subscription, too.

Each Zoologist Club kit contains a stuffed animal, a postcard and collectible sticker, an art project, a STEM project, a recipe, and a science book. 

“My son loves the stuffed animals, of course,” says Scully, “but we also like going through the printouts with the anatomy and reading together about the animals. The recipes are also very fun and usually on-theme. (For example, one week we had snake pretzels to make.) It's very educational, fun, and honestly, a fun activity to do as a family each month.”

Stickers? Travel-friendly? Melissa & Doug has found a way to make it possible. This activity pad comes with a stamping device that's preloaded with 300 stickers. The stickers are also designed to be easy to peel off, in case they end up somewhere they shouldn't be. Several themes are available, like unicorns, dinosaurs, space, and more, so you're sure to find one your child will like. 

“It's so easy for toddlers to use and results in a lot less wasted stickers and less trash, since the stickers are already loaded in the stamper,” says Crouch. “It's good for on-the-go fun.”

Magna-Tiles are a hugely popular toy, and this travel-friendly set makes it possible for your child to play with them anywhere. The tiles are smaller than normal, and the 24-piece set comes in a travel-ready tin for easy storage.

“This is cute with its spring theme,” says Bonaccorso. “Some of the tiles have flowers on them, and there's a little bunny tile as well.”

She keeps the kit with her to entertain her kids when they're in the car or at restaurants. “I whip it out any time we're out and my kids need some entertainment,” she says. “This is the perfect thing for parents who don't want to resort to a tablet for their kids when out in public.”