These are some ideas for this time of year. Most involve getting out of the house. Then when they come home, invite them to spend some time reading or listening to music or playing with their toys. I tell them they can use their electronics after they eat.
#1 - Summer camp!
trip to the library, nature center, any community center or museum offering arts stuff to try. We made paper lanterns, tie-die T-shirts, etc.
Water park (there are like 8-9 to try in No. Va & Mont County - Atlantis, Volcano Island, Ocean Dunes, Pirates Cove, MLK pool in Silver Spring (lazy river!) Bohrer Park, then you can upgrade to the Watermine, Splashdown, Great Waves, Chespeake Beach)
Drive them to a new playground (with a spray park or shade this time of year) Even better, meet a friend there!
Pool or lake day trip
Hike in the woods
Museums (esp kid's science)
ice skating
music lessons
indoor athletic games - indoor pool, tennis, ping pong, trampoline park etc.

We have the same problem with board games. They enjoy playing Legos, dolls & figurines, and Spot-It and silly games together for 5 and under like Lucky Ducks, Candyland and Gone Fishing. Stuff like Monopoly, Life and card games like Spite & Malice are too hard for the 7 year old to enjoy. We have a pile of educational games the teachers put together but it takes one of us to sit down and concentrate to get them interested, which does not sound like what you are looking for.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Your best bet is to make a list for them EVERY day to scratch off - in the order THEY want to. Make a few chores and few fun things. This always works for us. Below are some examples when we are at home most of the day and I have to work or clean a lot....

1. Make bed, brush teeth, get dressed
2. Create a song or dance show for this evening after dinner. Make sure to put up posters to announce the event.
3. 30 minutes of electronics
4. Sock sorting. Find all the matches. Then I will give you one sock each to make your own sock puppets for the show!
5. Create a sandwich restaurant for lunch. You get to make them and serve Mom!
6. You each pick one board game and play with each other. You get a tv show if you finish both without fighting.
7. Lysol wipe every doorknob in the house. Guess how many there are. The closest one gets to pick the afternoon snack.
8. Me time. We all head to our rooms for 30 minutes (set a timer.) Read books, write stories, play with stuffed animals. YOU decide!
9. Collect all your plastic toys in a mesh bin. Take them outside and fill up a rubbermaid bin with soap and wash/rinse them all. Wear your bathing suits
10. Bath, brush teeth, pajamas, read one book to Mom or Dad.

Oh for f's sake, please don't do this. A song or dance show for this evening after dinner? With posters? This poster sounds like she's been perusing pintrest on crack.

This the ES forum not the cute little Gen Parenting forum where a 4 yr old would do this.

Echoing above PP - my 6, 8, and 10 yr old would never go for any of these ideas.

Why not? Care to share any of the fun stuff your kids do? My kid, who is 10, does a lot of the stuff mentioned above. She does 10 year old versions of eberything.

Recently, Pokémon cards. But, I wouldn't say that is relaxing for me. I don't understand this game and I think he's just making things up.
So, I will add other card games to the list.
Uno, crazy eight and whatever card games he makes up.

we love card games. Uno and skip bo are some favorites

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Your best bet is to make a list for them EVERY day to scratch off - in the order THEY want to. Make a few chores and few fun things. This always works for us. Below are some examples when we are at home most of the day and I have to work or clean a lot....

1. Make bed, brush teeth, get dressed
2. Create a song or dance show for this evening after dinner. Make sure to put up posters to announce the event.
3. 30 minutes of electronics
4. Sock sorting. Find all the matches. Then I will give you one sock each to make your own sock puppets for the show!
5. Create a sandwich restaurant for lunch. You get to make them and serve Mom!
6. You each pick one board game and play with each other. You get a tv show if you finish both without fighting.
7. Lysol wipe every doorknob in the house. Guess how many there are. The closest one gets to pick the afternoon snack.
8. Me time. We all head to our rooms for 30 minutes (set a timer.) Read books, write stories, play with stuffed animals. YOU decide!
9. Collect all your plastic toys in a mesh bin. Take them outside and fill up a rubbermaid bin with soap and wash/rinse them all. Wear your bathing suits
10. Bath, brush teeth, pajamas, read one book to Mom or Dad.

Oh for f's sake, please don't do this. A song or dance show for this evening after dinner? With posters? This poster sounds like she's been perusing pintrest on crack.

This the ES forum not the cute little Gen Parenting forum where a 4 yr old would do this.

Echoing above PP - my 6, 8, and 10 yr old would never go for any of these ideas.

My kids are 4 and 7, and they like all of these:

Play Doh
Free time with art supplies - crayons, markers, stickers, paint
Puzzles
Books
Build a fort

You said yours aren't old enough for board games - have you tried Hedbandz? Even my youngest likes that one.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:These area all such common sense childhood activities that it should be a big flag for parents of younger kids how detrimental reliance on screens are for childhood development.

Easy there.

OP knows this. Hence his or her request for advice.

Frankly, what you observed is true of so much of parenting. A lot of it IS common sense. But even so, it's always nice to hear from others what's been working for them.

Her point is that because we all rely on screens so much, we have let this part of our brains atrophy completely. Too many of us get to ages 6+ with our kids and have no idea what's fun to do with them that doesn't involve screens.

This is the reason why the tablet isn't allowed to be used until after dinner/bath time. If I decide to give them screen time during the day for whatever reason, I turn on the TV because it's naturally limiting. A show ends and another one begins that you may or may not like. Because the tablet isn't an option during the day, DCs don't ask for it and it doesn't factor into their decision making. I really think this is the only option because for 99% of kids, if they can be on a tablet they will. The only way to fix it is to go cold turkey and deal with the withdrawal for a few days.

For OP's original question, I have all girls, so they play a lot of dress up and pretend restaurant, store, etc. The older girls read to themselves or read outloud for the youngest. They play Playdoh, play with small figurines, blocks, doll house, arts and crafts, science experiments, put on shows, that sort of thing. If you're talking about quiet time, in the summer they like to sit on the deck and eat a popsicle.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Your best bet is to make a list for them EVERY day to scratch off - in the order THEY want to. Make a few chores and few fun things. This always works for us. Below are some examples when we are at home most of the day and I have to work or clean a lot....

1. Make bed, brush teeth, get dressed
2. Create a song or dance show for this evening after dinner. Make sure to put up posters to announce the event.
3. 30 minutes of electronics
4. Sock sorting. Find all the matches. Then I will give you one sock each to make your own sock puppets for the show!
5. Create a sandwich restaurant for lunch. You get to make them and serve Mom!
6. You each pick one board game and play with each other. You get a tv show if you finish both without fighting.
7. Lysol wipe every doorknob in the house. Guess how many there are. The closest one gets to pick the afternoon snack.
8. Me time. We all head to our rooms for 30 minutes (set a timer.) Read books, write stories, play with stuffed animals. YOU decide!
9. Collect all your plastic toys in a mesh bin. Take them outside and fill up a rubbermaid bin with soap and wash/rinse them all. Wear your bathing suits
10. Bath, brush teeth, pajamas, read one book to Mom or Dad.

Oh for f's sake, please don't do this. A song or dance show for this evening after dinner? With posters? This poster sounds like she's been perusing pintrest on crack.

Oh for f's sake, what a sad childhood you must have had. Song or dance shows are pretty common activities for Elem kids.

I find screen time to be tension-increasing, not relaxing.
They read, they talk, they dream.

Chapter books on CD... Kids lounge on couch while listening.

I also love the above list. Thanks pp. The performance one is great. I used to do that when I was young.

Op, what did you do as a child when the TV wasn't on? Mine play outside on our tiny patch of grass, and work in our tiny garden. Weeding is oddly relaxing. They also draw and color and play puzzles and read books, some board games, but mostly free okay.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Your best bet is to make a list for them EVERY day to scratch off - in the order THEY want to. Make a few chores and few fun things. This always works for us. Below are some examples when we are at home most of the day and I have to work or clean a lot....

1. Make bed, brush teeth, get dressed
2. Create a song or dance show for this evening after dinner. Make sure to put up posters to announce the event.
3. 30 minutes of electronics
4. Sock sorting. Find all the matches. Then I will give you one sock each to make your own sock puppets for the show!
5. Create a sandwich restaurant for lunch. You get to make them and serve Mom!
6. You each pick one board game and play with each other. You get a tv show if you finish both without fighting.
7. Lysol wipe every doorknob in the house. Guess how many there are. The closest one gets to pick the afternoon snack.
8. Me time. We all head to our rooms for 30 minutes (set a timer.) Read books, write stories, play with stuffed animals. YOU decide!
9. Collect all your plastic toys in a mesh bin. Take them outside and fill up a rubbermaid bin with soap and wash/rinse them all. Wear your bathing suits
10. Bath, brush teeth, pajamas, read one book to Mom or Dad.

Oh for f's sake, please don't do this. A song or dance show for this evening after dinner? With posters? This poster sounds like she's been perusing pintrest on crack.

Well I am the PP and was just giving suggestions to OP. My kids have always loved lists and respond better to them. They still have plenty of time all day long to do what they want but instead of saying they are bored, begging for electronics, or moaning if I ask them to do something, a list is a quick thing to look at and we don't have to react off the other. Some days there are only a few things, especially if we have plans. But a football Sunday when DH and I want to relax some and watch a game? A list goes a very long way and everyone is happy. It also helps homework battles during the school year. Sorry it bothers you. I am sure you can offer suggestions off the top of your head every time with a smile and never get annoyed at your kids. Not all of us can.

I loved your list, PP. Don't listen to Grumpy-pants PP.

Put on an audio book and them listen while they do something else with their hands - legos or coloring or something. My 8 year old boys will spend hours listening to Rick Riordan audiobook and playing legos.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Your best bet is to make a list for them EVERY day to scratch off - in the order THEY want to. Make a few chores and few fun things. This always works for us. Below are some examples when we are at home most of the day and I have to work or clean a lot....

1. Make bed, brush teeth, get dressed
2. Create a song or dance show for this evening after dinner. Make sure to put up posters to announce the event.
3. 30 minutes of electronics
4. Sock sorting. Find all the matches. Then I will give you one sock each to make your own sock puppets for the show!
5. Create a sandwich restaurant for lunch. You get to make them and serve Mom!
6. You each pick one board game and play with each other. You get a tv show if you finish both without fighting.
7. Lysol wipe every doorknob in the house. Guess how many there are. The closest one gets to pick the afternoon snack.
8. Me time. We all head to our rooms for 30 minutes (set a timer.) Read books, write stories, play with stuffed animals. YOU decide!
9. Collect all your plastic toys in a mesh bin. Take them outside and fill up a rubbermaid bin with soap and wash/rinse them all. Wear your bathing suits
10. Bath, brush teeth, pajamas, read one book to Mom or Dad.

Oh for f's sake, please don't do this. A song or dance show for this evening after dinner? With posters? This poster sounds like she's been perusing pintrest on crack.

I loved doing this type of stuff as a kid. I like the idea of encouraging my kids to fill the time the way we did in the late 70s/80s. We had fun and actually talked and laughed with other real people.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:These area all such common sense childhood activities that it should be a big flag for parents of younger kids how detrimental reliance on screens are for childhood development.

Easy there.

OP knows this. Hence his or her request for advice.

Frankly, what you observed is true of so much of parenting. A lot of it IS common sense. But even so, it's always nice to hear from others what's been working for them.

Her point is that because we all rely on screens so much, we have let this part of our brains atrophy completely. Too many of us get to ages 6+ with our kids and have no idea what's fun to do with them that doesn't involve screens.