12 tips for reducing your kids' screen time

Screen time is just a fact of life these days. But most of us have days when we’ve struggled to unglue them from their screens. Here are some tips for getting them off their screens and into the real world.

Tip #1: “It won’t happen overnight, but it will happen”

The first thing you need to know when you want to “wean” your kids off their devices is that it can take a little patience.

Try to think of it like potty training – it takes time, ups and downs, team work, a sense of humour and lots of encouragement.

And potty training was worth it for a life without nappies, right? Think of a world where your child actually hears you when you say their name, doesn’t act up as much, and plays outside! Amazing.

Tip #2: Keep them busy

If you’ve ever lost your phone, you’ll know how strange it feels to suddenly be without it. Your kid will be feeling the same thing when they're going from screen-life to real life.

The key is to distract, distract, distract. You need to swap out their device for something that’s fun. Luckily, what kids love the most is spending time with you. We have loads of ideas for screen-free activities.

Tip #3: Put your phone away too

One of the best things to do is to lead by example. You’re the main influence in your child’s life, so if you put your phone away they might too.

You might be surprised at how nice it is to spend time together when you’re not both scrolling through your phones all night!

Tip #4: Mix up their routines

If your kids are glued to the screen, a good idea to “wean” them off is to do fun things that take them completely away from their devices – like running around at the park or going on a treasure hunt to find everything in your neighbourhood that starts with "R".

If it's raining outside, you can do things like asking if they can write a comic strip about their best day ever.

Tip #5: Keep them busy before dinner

Sometimes the kids are on the screens because we need to get on with things around the house. A sneaky trick to kill two birds with one stone is to do things like getting them to help you put the dinner on.

Tip #6: Make meal times device-free zones

If you get a chance during the week, try to have a meal together. It doesn’t have to be a big deal – even a bowl of cereal or a sandwich is enough! Make your meals device-free zones and talk with each other about your days. Here are some questions you can ask if all you can get out of your little one is “fine”!

We have loads of cheap and kid-friendly recipes they’ll love. If you want to know what you can ask your child to do in the kitchen, we’ve got tips here, and more tips on making housework look fun here.

Tip #7: Swap the iPad for a Play Bag

One way to keep them busy and happy when you’re out and about is to swap out the iPad with a “special bag” of fun things they can play with. It might be stickers, paper, pens, small cars, Lego people, or card games for older kids. You can get them to help you choose what goes in it so it includes some of their favourite toys.

If you want something that's ready to go, your ReadWriteCount Activity bag has lots of free things that will keep them happy while you're out and about.

Tip #8: Make bedtime story time

Snuggling up to read a book together at night helps get them into a routine and gives you both some time to unwind.

It’s a good idea to keep devices out of their room at night – it will only keep them awake and make them grumpy the next day.

Tip #9: Make family time fun

Put your tech away and have a family games nights. These games don’t cost a thing and the Read Write Count bags are full of free games you can play with the whole family.

The more fun they have without their devices, the less they’ll keep nagging at you for them.

Tip #10: Work out your disaster zones

Does your child get grumpy if their screen-time goes on too long? Does their behaviour get better without screen time? Sometimes it can pay to see if you can just cut it out. You could not watch shows during the week, and they can catch-up at the weekend if they want to.

Tips to limit their time online

Tip #11: Set a countdown

One way to reduce the chances of your kid going into monster mode when you take their device away is to set some family rules. That includes a time limit - e.g. 30 minutes.
Tell your kids how long they’ve had and count down until the time is up.
Try not to “give in” and let them spend longer. If they know that you won’t budge in, eventually they’ll stop kicking up a fuss.
Bonus tip: Focus on the activity that comes after the screentime so that your child isn’t getting more and more wound up: e.g. 5 minutes until we’re going to the park!

Tip #12: Keep your cool

We’ve all been there – they know their time is up, but they still have a strop when you try to take it away. It’s okay to feel frustrated when that happens.

Sometimes it pays to take a big deep breath before you do anything. And try to look at it from their point of view, if someone came along and took your phone away, you might feel a bit grumpy too!

It’s fine to give yourself 5 minutes for both of you to calm down a bit, and come back to it when you feel like you can deal with it.

When you feel calmer, let them know you understand they’re upset. Give them a hug and move on to the next activity to distract them from “screen withdrawal”.

Here are some more tips from parents on dealing with those “huffs and puffs”!

How much screen time is too much?

You’re the expert on your child – you’ll probably already know how much screen time is too much for them. A recent study into screen time and children’s health concluded that it’s really up to parents to decide on their children’s use of devices like mobiles and tablets, taking their age and maturity into account, and that screens should be avoided in the hour before bedtime. You can read more about the study on the Children 1st website.

Keep an eye on them when they're online

1. Talk to them about what they watch

Talk to your child about using screens and what they watch. A change in their behaviour (e.g. being grumpy) can mean they’re distressed. Make sure they know they can speak to you or another adult if they’re worried about something they see on screen or social media. Our page on talking to your child about online safety has more information.

2. Set parental controls

Many internet plans and apps will have parental controls so they won’t be exposed to inappropriate content from their device. Our page on protecting your child online has more information.

3. Don’t over share

Talk to them about sharing photos and information online, and how these can be changed or mis-used by other people. Before you upload any pictures of your child, ask for their permission. If in doubt, don’t upload! Our page on s etting boundaries has more information.

4. Find out your school’s screen time policy

If your child is at school, find out if there is a screen time policy. That could help you limit their time online.

You can do it!

We hope that these tips for sneaking in ways to get them doing other things – like getting fresh air, helping you around the house and playing with you will get them off their screens. Good luck everyone – we’ve got your back!

From the parents

"My top tip would be that your kids don’t always have to be constantly entertained! They will find something to do that lets them use their imagination and creativity." – Kirsty

"I find screens make behaviour way worse than it should be! Having a variety of games you can play together can help." - Sarah

More information on screen time

Online safety

As parents, we do everything we can to keep our children safe. We hold their hand crossing the road. We teach them not to talk to strangers. We do our best every day. But when it comes to online safety, it can be hard to know where to start. The good news is, the steps you can take to keep your child safe online are the same as the ones you use to protect them offline.

Our section on online safety guides you through the steps you can take to help keep your child safe online, as well as looking at what you can do if your child has a negative experience.