10 Printable Activities You Can Create in Canva to Keep Your Kids Busy (Without Screens!)

Hey mama (or grandma, or creative auntie!) 💛

If you’ve ever whispered, “Please go play for five minutes so I can think,” you are not alone. The days are long, the to-do lists are longer, and screens—well, they’re helpful, but sometimes we just want a break.

The good news? You can create your own printable activity pages in Canva that will keep your kids engaged, learning, and creating—without plugging them in.

You don’t need to be a designer. You don’t need fancy software. You just need Canva, a sprinkle of creativity, and a printer.

Let’s dive into 10 fun, screen-free activities you can make in under 15 minutes!

1. 🎨 Color-by-Number Sheets

Pick a cute graphic (like animals, vehicles, or food!), use Canva’s “elements” section to add numbers to different areas, and include a matching color key.

2. 🔍 Scavenger Hunt Lists

Create indoor or outdoor scavenger hunt pages with boxes to check off and space to draw or write what they found.

Themes to try:

• Backyard Nature Hunt

• Color Hunt (find something red, yellow, blue…)

• Alphabet Hunt

3. 🧠 Word Search Puzzles

Did you know you can generate word searches using online tools and paste them right into a Canva layout? Add themed clipart and fun fonts and you’ve got an instant hit!

Great for:

• Summer themes

• Animal names

• Holiday words

• Bible verses or character traits

4. ✂️ Cut-and-Paste Craft Sheets

Use Canva shapes and stickers to make printable craft kits—think build-a-monster, create-a-scene, or make-your-own-pizza. Kids cut out the pieces and glue them together!

Low mess, high fun. (And excellent for motor skills too!)

5. 📝 Journal Prompts for Kids

Design a simple printable page with a prompt at the top and space for drawing and writing. You can even add a doodle border they can color!

Examples:

• “If I had a pet dragon…”

• “Today I felt happy when…”

• “The best part of my week was…”

6. 🧩 Printable Puzzles

Design your own matching games, like:

• Shadow matching

• What comes next?

• Count and match

• Matching animals to habitats

Laminate them for reuse or print on cardstock for a sturdy feel.

7. 🧠 Dot-to-Dot Pages

You can create custom dot-to-dot printables in Canva using the “draw” tool and number text boxes! Perfect for animals, simple shapes, or even spelling practice.

Bonus: Add a space for coloring once it’s complete!

8. 🎲 DIY Board Games

Create your own path-style board game using shapes and arrows. Add fun “action” boxes like “Dance for 10 seconds!” or “Draw a star in the sky.”

Include printable dice and tokens, or just use coins and buttons from home!

9. 🧁 Recipe Cards for Kids

Design fun recipe cards for easy, no-bake snacks. Kids can decorate their cards, check off steps, and help in the kitchen with grown-up supervision.

Try themes like:

• Build-your-own trail mix

• Rainbow fruit salad

• DIY sandwiches

10. 📬 Kindness Coupons

Create a printable sheet of “acts of kindness” kids can cut out and share:

• “I’ll clean without being asked”

• “A hug for someone who needs it”

• “Help make dinner”

• “Say 3 nice things today”

Perfect for home, homeschool, or Sunday school!

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• A bundle of free Canva templates for posts + printables

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👉 Click here to sign up! Let’s build your dream toolkit—one template at a time!

🛍 Visit My Etsy Shop for Done-for-You Printables

No time to design from scratch? No worries! Check out A Rea of Treasures on Etsy for:

• Ready-to-print kid activity bundles

• Editable Canva templates for homeschool, journaling, and family fun

• DIY sticker sheets and scrapbook papers

• Journaling kits designed for moms and creatives

Everything is crafted with love—and a big heart for busy days and joyful moments.

🧡 Final Thoughts

You don’t have to be a Pinterest-perfect parent to create magic.

With Canva and a little imagination, you can design beautiful, fun, and screen-free activities that keep your kiddos busy and light up their creativity.

Even better? You’re making memories together—and that’s the kind of magic no app can compete with. ✨

Now go open Canva, pick a template, and make something your kids will love.And if you do, tag me—I’d love to cheer you on!