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Need help limiting the amount of time your children are on their tablets or phones? This free printable screen time checklist chart can help!
As a mom of three, I know what a struggle it can be to keep our kids off electronics. While our family is pretty good at limiting screen time during the school year because there are so many other distractions, summer and school breaks can be more challenging.
We live in a society where it feels like everyone is constantly attached to a screen on our electronic devices. From our smart phones, computers and video games, to tv’s and tablets, it’s easy to pass untold hours watching a screen. And it can add up fast for any family, especially if your kids are old enough for social media.
One of the best tips I ever received was to create a screen time checklist as a visual aid for my kids. Similar to a chore chart, this printable screen time chart is completely customizable and lets you (or your children, if they’re old enough) check off when they complete each chore or requirement in order to earn screen time privileges.
I was a little shocked how well it worked with my kids. Grab the free digital download yourself at the end of this page.
Note: Some links may be affiliate links. That means I may make a commission if you use my links to purchase, at no extra added cost to you! I only recommend products that I personally love and believe in. Full disclaimer here.
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, “90% of parents report that their children younger than 2 years watch some form of electronic media… and that they view television as a peacekeeper and a safe activity for their children while they are preparing dinner, getting ready for work, or doing household chores.” While certain educational programming can be beneficial for young children, they also urge parents to limit screen time for all kids.
Nearly every parent I know has struggled with limiting screen time during summer and school breaks, especially for younger kids when it gets hot out. However, allowing your children to take an active role in that can help.
Charts are a fantastic tool for kids of all ages. Not only do they set and reinforce clear expectations, but they also allow your child to take some independent responsibility over completing them. It also begins to teach them the value of hard work and prioritizing free time.
I like to incorporate their daily chores into these screen time charts, because they’re an easy win. When your kids feel confident in the tasks they need to complete, they’re more likely to continue to work toward that end goal instead of getting angry and giving up.
I also love have a screen time checklist because it is a way to clearly establish screen time limits with your kids. At the bottom of the chart is a space for you to put how much screen time they earn when they complete chores or all their daily responsibilities.
And friend, this is POWERFUL and can be a game changer! It’s truly a great tool, because it leads to less fighting and arguing. The terms are set. They can either do it, or not. But if they choose not to, it’s very clear that they won’t be able to earn screen time for that day.
I love free printables, and a checklist like this is really simple to incorporate for your own child’s needs. Just download the PDF file, print out the version you want, and go over the tasks with your kids. Don’t forget to fill in the amount of screen time they can earn at the bottom!
I’ve included a done-for-you screen time checklist that includes 10 basic recommended tasks for your child to complete each day, based on the ones my own children have to do:
I’ve also included a blank/editable screen time checklist that you can print out and fill in by hand with your own important things for your family.
You can also put things in order for a reusable daily routine, add different age-appropriate chores or independent work/daily tasks, or use this editable version to create your own summer screen time rules.
I personally think it’s important to incorporate some kind of physical activity requirement into this, but your family might have different needs. In that case, add in something else that requires face to face interaction with another person into your screen time plan. The important thing is to try to limit time in front of a screen.
Hang it somewhere that is easy for your children to reference. Print out a new colorful free summer screentime checklist each week! If you have multiple kids, you can print this out multiple times. Just add your child’s name to the top of the physical print.
Download and customize your own screen time chart! Print a new one for each week to help keep kids accountable and on-top of their responsibilities before they can watch tv or play on their tablets. This works great even for little ones!
This is a digital design- no physical product is sent to you. You will receive READY-TO-PRINT DIGITAL file in a PDF format that you can print at home or in any local or online print shop.
For best results, I recommend printing these before screen time charts on plain white paper, but you can also use construction paper, white card stock or regular printer paper or any type of thick paper. You can print this file out again and again, or laminate (or place in a sheet protector) to use over and over with dry erase markers.
These printable screen time checklists are free for you to use, but ONLY for personal use. Enter your information below to gain access to the free download, and the printable bundle will be sent to your email address immediately for instant download.
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If you use this before screen time checklist be sure to tag me on social so I can see! Whether you use this just for summer break, or incorporate it as a daily checklist all year long, I hope this is the perfect way to help limit screen use for your own children (and spend less time arguing about it).
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