Dinner is late. The iPad is already in their hands. You don’t have the energy for a craft that needs glue, scissors, and a Pinterest board.

Print one animal. One page. Put it on the table with a crayon.

That’s it. Thick outlines, big shapes, no tiny details a 4-year-old can’t stay inside. Puppy, kitten, bunny, duckling — the animals they already name in books.

We made Little Paws Press because “screen-free activity” usually means 40 minutes of setup. This one is: download, print, color. If that’s the bar, more parents would actually do it.

Dinner is done. The kids are still buzzing. Screens come out because you need 10 quiet minutes.

Here is what works in our house instead.

Print two pages before you cook. Not a whole book. Two. Thick outlines, big shapes, animals they already love. Put the pages and three crayons on the table while the plates are still out.

Sit down with them. Color one corner of a puppy. Then stop talking. They will fill the rest because you started it.

Rules that keep it from falling apart:

• One sitting, 10 minutes, then stop while they still want more

• Print at 100% on regular paper. No special printer. No cardstock required

• If a page is too busy, skip it. Simple faces beat detailed scenes for this age

The point is not a masterpiece. It is a screen-free landing after a long day.

That is why Little Paws Press exists. Cute animals. Fat lines. Print tonight, color tomorrow.