Reclaim Vacation: 8 Reasons to Leave Video Games at Home

Don’t let screens steal your family’s best moments—here’s why a game-free vacation is the best gift you can give.

When you hear the word vacation, what comes to mind?

Maybe a break from routine? Indulgence in fun activities (and food!) you normally wouldn’t touch during your typical week? For kids, though, vacation means something even more powerful: Mom and Dad are not working—and they’re paying attention to me.

That’s what your children really crave. Not more screen time and not more video games. What they want most is you. Your time, your focus, and your presence. Even if they don’t come out and ask for these things.

Unfortunately, that beautiful intention of connection can easily get hijacked by something small but powerful tucked into a suitcase: a video game console, handheld device, or smartphone.

So before you unpack your bags, set up your beach chair, and crack open your summer read, prepare yourself. Because you’re likely to hear:

“Mom, can I play my video game?”
“Dad, what’s the wifi password?”
“But all my cousins brought their Switches!”

Here’s your answer: NO.

Sound harsh? It’s actually one of the simplest, kindest, and healthiest things you can do. Here’s why:

(In this post, we’re focusing on video games—but handheld consoles, apps on smartphones, and any digital entertainment designed to keep your child glued to a screen apply.)

8 Reasons to Leave Video Games at Home on Vacation

1. Young brains need a break.
Your child’s brain will benefit from a break from his screen routine. Vacation is prime time for kids to try new things, visit with family, relax, reset, and give their minds permission to connect with nature, real life, and real people, rather than fixating on the virtual world of their games. Remember, the game is not a relaxing activity for the brain; rather, it jump-starts an overproduction of dopamine and activates the fight-flight center, causing anxiety, stress, and irritability—not characteristics I typically want to see in my child on vacation.

2. Family connection thrives without screens.
Don’t mess up one of your best opportunities to connect as a family because of video games! Your child cannot bond with you or their siblings while being glued to a video game, even if it’s a video game everyone’s playing together. Family activities allow mutual creativity and communication, including facial expressions, body language, and vocal tone. It is impossible for video games to build such social skills. While co-play is better than isolated play, non-game time together is more beneficial developmentally than spending time staring at a screen.

3. No video games = no babysitter temptation.
When everyone’s tired and you just want a break, it’s tempting to hand over a screen device. Resist it. Instead, build quiet time into your vacation routine. Bring books, puzzles, cards, or journals. Show your kids how to rest without digital crutches.

4. It sparks creativity and curiosity.
We know that game time is often a child’s first choice for entertainment because it’s a familiar, low-effort, high-reward activity. And because of the addictive nature of video games, they will likely choose to stay in the air-conditioned room with a screen instead of meeting new friends, digging for crabs, fishing, or going on that family hike or bike ride. Give your child or teen the gift of unstructured time by not bringing the game along on your vacation. Without games to fall back on, your kids will look outward.

5. They’ll move more and soak up more sunshine.
Without a video game to distract them, your child will get more movement, more sunshine, and more real, rough-and-tumble play, which is critical for growing brains. Instead of being curled up on the couch with a blanket and playing a video game, how about a real pillow fight, a blanket fort, or a game of hide and seek? The gamer will also miss out on catching fireflies and playing flashlight tag if they are cuddled up with a game. Many “movement” activities spontaneously happen on vacations, and your gamer will miss those when you pack the game.

6. Memories don’t get made in Minecraft.
Gaming can remove children socially, emotionally, and physically from engaging with and relaxing with their family. When kids play video games on vacation, they miss a lot: grandparent stories, family jokes, and impromptu adventures. Relaxing together without screens builds emotional memory and connection—things you simply can’t replicate in a virtual world. Experiencing new things together makes vacation time fun, priceless, memorable, and surprisingly healthy.

7. Saying “No” communicates deep love.
When you say “No” to the game on vacation, you are telling your children that you want to spend time with them, you love them, and you don’t want anything to get in the way of time together and new experiences. It doesn’t matter how they respond. Most kids won’t say it, but deep down, they’ll feel chosen and cared for when screens aren’t allowed on vacation.

8. You’ll get to know your child better.
Screens create distance. When they’re off, you’ll discover what makes your child light up. You’ll hear new questions, new stories, and new dreams. Vacation is your chance to reconnect; don’t let screens steal that opportunity.

Are you feeling apprehensive about the rift your decision may cause? We’ve got your back!

Tips for a Video Game-Free Getaway

Don’t pack the game console.
Or handhelds. Or phones. Remove temptation entirely so there’s nothing to negotiate. Everyone wins.

No gaming in the car.
Replace it with audiobooks, silly songs, I Spy, or little surprise treats every 100 miles. The trip itself is part of the experience; don’t zone out for it.

Pre-determine movie limits.
One movie on the way there, one on the way back if you feel it is necessary on a long trip. Let the rest of the miles be filled with stories, naps, music, drawing, or conversation.

Prepare for pushback.
The more your children protest, the more they need this break. If they say games are the only way they can relax, that’s a red flag. Teach them better ways to occupy their free time.

One Final Thought

Vacations are one of the best places to teach important life skills, such as how to entertain yourself, make decisions, plan your day, and participate in family life. Games rob kids of this chance.

Every part of the vacation matters: the planning, the packing, the waiting in line, the car rides, the walks, the meals, the shared stories, even the boredom. It all contributes to the tapestry of your family story. Don’t let a screen erase those valuable threads.

Video games on vacation? That’s like putting ketchup on filet mignon! If you’re going to let them play video games, they may as well stay home and eat a hamburger.

Remember: Family memories aren’t made inside a video game, and you’ll never regret the time you spent fully present with your kids.

Give those video games a vacation this summer. Here’s to a relaxing, memory-making vacation!

About ScreenStrong

Melanie Hempe, BSN, is the founder of ScreenStrong, a nonprofit organization, and the author of the Kids’ Brains and Screens Series for students and parents. She is dedicated to preventing and reversing childhood screen addictions by providing scientific evidence and a community (Connect and Connect Plus) for families around the globe. Her educational material is filled with everything she wished she had known before her oldest child suffered from a screen addiction. ScreenStrong has created what every family needs—education and community—to skip toxic screens through adolescence so teens can reach their full potential.

Visit here for family resource materials and here for our Phone-Free Schools Guide, and visit ScreenStrong.org to learn more and join the community that is saving childhood.