May Do Boxes: My Screen-Free Solution for Keeping Kids Busy On the Go
May Do Boxes are my simple, screen-free solution for keeping kids busy during sibling activities, appointments, practices, and all those in-between moments. See what I pack and how they keep little hands busy without completely checking kids out of the world around them.
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A Better Way to Keep Kids Busy While They Wait
There are a lot of moments in motherhood when one kid is doing something…and everyone else is just waiting. Swim lessons. Soccer practice. Dance class. Homeschool co-op. Doctor appointments. Restaurants. Older siblings’ activities. The list goes on. And if you have little kids, you know that “just sit here and wait” is not exactly a realistic plan.
I’ve been the overstimulated mom more times than I can count, with kids climbing all over me, digging through my bag, asking for snacks for the 47th time, and generally making me question every decision that led us to that particular waiting room or pool deck. It’s easy to see why handing over a tablet has become the default. But in our family, I wanted another option.
Enter: May Do Boxes.
What Is a May Do Box?
A May Do Box is exactly what it sounds like: a small collection of activities my girls may do when they need something to keep them busy. I use them for all those in-between moments when I know my kids need something to do, but I don’t necessarily want to hand them a screen.
They might include coloring supplies, activity books, reusable stickers, small building toys, puzzles, drawing materials, or another simple activity that can easily travel with us. The goal isn’t to cram the box full of educational activities or keep my kids intensely entertained for an hour. It’s simply to give them options.
Why I Choose May Do Boxes Over Screens
My girls own tablets. Screens aren’t forbidden in our house. They just have a time and a place. For us, tablets are generally reserved for certain homeschool rotations or long car rides. Because we’ve been consistent with those boundaries, my girls don’t automatically expect a screen every time we leave the house or have to wait somewhere.
And that matters to me because there is so much happening during those seemingly boring waiting periods.
At swim lessons, a younger sibling might be coloring while also hearing the instructor give directions. At soccer practice, they might be building something while watching another child learn a new skill. Outside, they’re hearing birds, feeling the wind, watching people, asking questions, talking to me, and noticing what’s happening around them. When a child is completely immersed in a screen, their world can quickly shrink down to whatever is happening a few inches from their face. May Do Boxes let me meet in the middle. My kids can be occupied without being disconnected.
They have something to do with their hands and brains, but they can still look up. They can still listen. They can still talk to me. They can still notice what’s happening around them. And as both a mom and former elementary teacher, I think there is a lot of value in that. Kids learn so much simply by being part of the world around them.
What I Put in Our May Do Boxes
May Do Boxes don’t need to be complicated, in fact, simpler is usually better. I look for activities that are easy to pack, low-mess, mostly independent, reusable when possible, and easy for the girls to pick up and put down without needing a ton of help from me.
Some of our favorites include coloring and activity books, reusable stickers, magnetic activities, small puzzles, and other simple hands-on activities. I keep all of our favorite May Do activities right here if you need ideas for building your own boxes!
I also rotate what’s inside instead of offering everything at once. You know how a toy suddenly becomes fascinating again after disappearing into a closet for three weeks? Same idea. 😂 A little rotation keeps the boxes feeling fresh without constantly buying new things.
Keep Them Ready to Grab
This is the part that makes May Do Boxes actually work for us: each of my girls has her own box, and they stay packed and ready to grab. I use these plastic storage containers because they’re easy for the girls to carry, keep everything contained, and are simple to toss in the car when we’re heading out the door.
If I had to hunt around the house for crayons, find an activity book, locate missing puzzle pieces, and pack everything before every extracurricular…I wouldn’t do it. The whole point is reducing friction. Each box has a handful of activities already inside, so we can grab one and go. I switch out the activities every so often to keep things interesting, but the boxes themselves always have a home and are ready when we need them.
The easier a system is to use, the more likely we are to actually use it.
May Do Doesn’t Mean Must Do
This might be my favorite part of the whole idea. They’re called May Do Boxes, not Must Do Boxes. My kids don’t have to use them. They can watch their sister. Talk to me. Play nearby. Look around. Be bored. Make up a game. Or pull something out of the box. The box is simply an option. Because I’m not trying to eliminate boredom or make sure my kids are entertained every second of the day.
Honestly, I think we’ve gotten a little too uncomfortable with kids having nothing to do. Sometimes “nothing to do” is exactly when they start observing, imagining, talking, creating, or figuring something out for themselves.
stay Busy Without Checking Out
May Do Boxes are a really small system in our family, but they represent something bigger that I care a lot about. I don’t expect my kids to sit perfectly still and patiently watch every minute of every sibling’s activity. They’re kids. They need to move, create, play, and do things.
But I also don’t want a screen to become the automatic answer every time life gets a little boring. May Do Boxes give us a middle ground. Something to do without completely checking out.
Something that keeps little hands busy while still leaving room to hear the birds, watch their sister swim, talk to the person sitting beside them, notice something new, or simply experience a little boredom. Because kids don’t need to be entertained every second. Sometimes they just need something to do while they experience the world around them.
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I’m Katelyn!
Hi, I’m Katelyn! Join me for creative, intentional family fun and practical home management tips! Parenting is hard, but I’ve got the tools to help you create a calmer, more intentional home!
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About Katelyn Collier , MAT
Katelyn Collier is a former elementary school teacher turned homeschooling mom of three and the founder of A Pop of You. She’s passionate about helping families step away from the pressure of today’s fast-paced culture and create homes filled with presence, joy, and balance. Through her resources and podcast, she shares simple, practical tools to reclaim childhood and make family life feel lighter and more intentional.
Masters DEgree in elementary education
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