I’m A Mom Always Looking For Screen-Free Things My Kid Will Actually Use. These Prime Day Deals Are Worth Buying.

For me, there’s nothing more nostalgic than a metal detector. I have such fond memories of going “hunting for treasure” with my grandpa up at our lake house. This National Geographic model comes with an adjustable handle, waterproof search coil, and digging tool so kids can search the yard, sand, or campsite and investigate whatever they find. Recommended for ages eight and up, it’s sturdy and easy to navigate, even for kids on the smaller side. I especially like the fact that there is no set path, a beep in the ground could lead to five minutes of digging or an entire hour of searching the rest of the beach.

I remember Spirograph from childhood (I’m an ‘80s baby, after all), and the nostalgia piqued my interest when I was scouring for screen-free activities for my imaginative child. The finished designs can get incredibly intricate, but there is no right or wrong result. This deluxe set is recommended for ages eight and up and comes with 19 wheels, rings, pens, paper, and a design guide, so kids can start by following a pattern and then see what happens when they change the wheel or pen placement.

The light-up brush changes color depending on the paint they choose, and doesn’t spill or stain. Designed for ages three and up, it uses special paints that only show up on Color Wonder paper, so kids can sit down and paint without covering their clothes or the table. It takes up more room than a coloring book, but it’s a great road trip diversion when the “are we there yet” symphony starts. Plus, it’s nearly $10 off now.

My daughter has been a magnetic tile fanatic since she was three, and still plays with them to this day. This 100-piece PicassoTiles set is designed for just that age range and includes magnetic shapes kids can use for houses, towers, roads, or whatever else they decide to make that day. Between building massive towers (and then subsequently knocking them down), the process can be as intricate or as basic as they want, so the adventures change as they get more ambitious.

For a kid like my daughter, who picks up rocks literally everywhere we go, this National Geographic advent calendar gives December’s daily countdown a little more intrigue. It’s recommended for ages eight and up (thanks to the small pieces), with a different glittering gemstone to discover each day, plus jewelry settings and a final rose-quartz excavation. Kids can inspect what they find, sort their collection, or start looking up the stones on their own rather than doomscrolling through videos. What excited my daughter the most was the fact that it comes with its own soft bag carrying case, so she can show off her rocks to everyone she meets at the playground.

I collected American Girl dolls as a girl (shout out to my girls Kirsten and Molly), and my daughter is now doing the same. With six dolls between us, she wanted another way to expand her doll universe. That’s when she fell in love with the WellieWishers line of dolls. Willa, who stands at just 14.5 inches, is perfect for kids ages 4 and up. The doll has brushable hair, clothes to change, and plenty of accessories available. Her smaller size also makes her much easier to bring on a road trip or tuck into a carry-on than a full-size 18-inch doll, and is nearly half the price as the OG dolls. She’s certainly not a replacement, but a great addition to any doll collection.

Intended for ages three to eight, this life-sized easel has a magnetic whiteboard on one side and chalkboard on the other, with enough room for drawing, practicing letters, or setting up an elaborate game of school (which is definitely how much daughter would put this toy to use).

For kids who already watch Numberblocks, this brings the characters off the tablet and turns the math into something they can actually touch. Made for roughly ages three to six, the set includes MathLink cubes, Blockzee’s balance, and activities that let kids compare numbers and work through early addition themselves. I like that they have to move the cubes, test an answer, and figure out why one side balances rather than just waiting for the answer on the screen.

Our Yoto Mini is a savior during long wait times. My daughter can pop the card in herself, skip tracks with the dials, and carry the Mini around the house, in the car, or on a flight while she sings along. The player gets up to 14 hours of battery life and also works with more than 1,000 Yoto cards, including audiobooks, music, and activities, so it is not something she will be done with once the her “KPop Demon Hunters” phase passes.

If asking your kid to give up a video game is not going particularly well, you can always try handing them the Lego version instead. This 543-piece “Animal Crossing” set lets kids build Blathers’s museum, then keep playing with it once the building is done. There are Blathers and Lily minifigures, fossils to dig up, fish for the aquarium, and exhibits they can rearrange thanks to the movable walls.

My daughter is currently obsessed with dolls and dress-up, so anything that lets her design outfits is going to get her attention. This Skillmatics kit comes with 10 picture canvases, more than 100 foam stickers, and 100 colorful foil sheets that kids use to create clothes and accessories for the characters. There is no glue involved, which means she can pull it out and start working immediately without fear of sticky stuff getting everywhere.

My daughter has been an art fan since she could hold a marker, and is always doodling. This go-to activity kit celebrates her creativity and gives her a chance to draw whatever she'd like with any medium she'd like. This Crayola kit is packed with crayons, markers, colored pencils, and other art supplies all in one. My daughter is much more likely to stick with an art project when she has a million colors to choose from, and I like that everything comes together in one kit instead of me digging through drawers for supplies. It makes traveling a breeze too, because you can store it all in one handy traveling case.