STEP 1: COME UP WITH AN IDEA

Your Screen-Free Week celebration can be as big or small as you like.

For instance, if you want to host a screen-free neighborhood block party on the weekend, that’s great! Simply post the info on your neighborhood Facebook page, for example, and have an amazing time!

Ideas for smaller events are endless. You could have your book club read something about screen time and talk about it the first week in May, schedule a screen-free family reunion, or plan a tournament with your pickleball league. You could also just challenge your kids (and you!) to log out of social media for the week! Do whatever feels meaningful and enjoyable to you.

Remember, you don’t have to get folks to totally turn off ALL screens forever. Your goal is simply to encourage them to try living without entertainment screens for as much of the week as they are comfortable, to evaluate their long-term relationship with technology.

STEP 2: SET A DATE AND DURATION

Screen-Free Week can be celebrated at any time of the year! Though it has traditionally taken place the first week of May, it’s more important that the date suits your event’s or family’s needs. You may also want to shorten the duration. Try a Screen-Free weekend or simply a day. We’ve got resources for that, too!

STEP 3: GATHER YOUR CREW

Will you participate solo? With your family? School? Business? Library? The possibilities are endless!

If you want to host a bigger event or plan events for multiple days, it may make sense to create an informal Screen-Free Week planning committee comprised of yourself and your friends, colleagues, family, neighbors, etc.

Gather your committee together for a kick-off meeting. Talk to them about what Screen-Free Week is and why you’d like their help to plan events to celebrate it. Brainstorm some ideas as a group.

Introduce your committee to the Resource Library at screenfree.org/resources, follow Screen-Free Week on Facebook and Instagram, and take the Screen-Free personal pledge to participate at screenfree.org/pledge so all of you stay in the loop for event emails and promotional materials.

STEP 4: DECIDE WHAT YOU’LL DO

Determine how you want to challenge yourself, family, or event participants to engage with Screen-Free Week. Invite them to take a pledge, complete a BINGO card, or set a goal of how many books they’ll read. Set a goal for how many people you want to show up at your community game night! Start slow and build from there. Tell your friends and family what you’re getting upto! Hang flyers nearby the event!

Having trouble coming up with ideas? Our resource library is full of them, including these examples of past events.

STEP 5: CELEBRATE

Then, go out and do it! Whether you’re logging off or hosting a town-wide scavenger hunt, the key is to have fun! Feel free to share your experience with us!

Get our guides

If you’re hosting an event, these event guides can help you get started! Visit our full resource library for more FREE resources.