The “Analog Bag” Isn’t Just for Adults — Here’s the Kid Version

Like many millennial moms, my relationship with screens is complicated. The first phone I owned was a pink bedazzled flip phone that I mostly only used to call my mom after school and send the occasional (expensive!) text message. Now I’m a mom to an 18-month-old whose screen entertainment options are endless. But the data on how digital devices impact our kids is also clear: According to the American Psychological Association, too much screen time can lead to emotional, cognitive, and behavioral troubles. 

That’s where good old-fashioned fun comes in. Inspired by Siece Campbell’s 2025 viral video detailing her adult “analog bag” (think: crossword puzzles, knitting, and Polaroid cameras) parent creators are now sharing their own kid-focused versions in an effort to curb screen time. The kid take is inspired by its “grandmacore” predecessor: a small collection of activities, crafts, and toys that can easily be tossed in a backpack, diaper bag, or carry-on (think: the cat’s cradle you carried in your backpack, or the Mad Libs you broke out at a sleepover circa 1998). 

For babies and toddlers, reusable sticker books, chunky crayons, and a few fidget-style toys are easy additions to a diaper bag. And don’t forget to include real household objects: If you’ve ever been in a living room with a toddler, you know they often care more about the TV remote than anything else. My 18-month-old is firmly in his Cars era, so when pulling together his analog bag, I leaned into the vehicle theme: a reusable car sticker book, simple pull-and-push cars, and construction-themed board books. 

For preschool and young elementary school-age children, easy-to-transport arts and crafts like colorful pipe cleaners or Play-Doh offers no-mess play, while small figurines (like animals, cars, or dolls) invite imaginative storytelling. 

Meanwhile, older kids may gravitate toward word and number puzzles and tactile activities, like bracelet-making. 

The goal of an analog bag isn’t to eliminate screens or win some invisible parenting prize. It’s simply another option — one that keeps me from wrestling him through an entire plane ride or defaulting to the seat-back screen in a moment of sweaty frustration. Sticker book over screen time? I’ll take that as a win.