In a world full of a thousand different screens, it can be hard to manage it all with your kids. You want to create balance in their life, at least I do! I don’t want them to get so much screen time that it kills their brain cells.
But, I also don’t want to be so strict that they never see a screen until their eighteen. Creating balance can be hard, but if you look at screen time as a privilege that has to be earned, it might help you create this balance.
That’s why I created this free printable earning screen time chart. It will make it easier to keep track of it all for both you and the kids!
Should I Have My Kids Earn Screen Time?
This is certainly different for each parent and situation. There are times when I need a break and want them to watch a movie. In this case if they haven’t done anything to earn screen time, I can’t let them.
The bad part of this is that it’s almost like a punishment for me. However, if your kids LOVE screen time, they might have no problem earning it.
Also, I believe that having kids earn screen time can teach them great principles about life. If you want to be able to fall back on a quick show as a break for you, you could have them earn just a certain amount of time, or different types of screen time.
Keep experimenting and find a happy medium for your family.
How To Use an Earning Screen Time Reward Chart
There are several ways to use a screen time reward chart. You can have your kids add up their earnings throughout the week for the next week.
You can have them earn it each day for that day. You can do tokens or screen time bucks. You can just do extra free time that has to be earned.
The main idea of a screen time reward chart is to give everyone their own chart with a list of their chores or tasks. Each chore or task is assigned a certain amount of screen time once complete. Kids can bank these times and turn them in to use them.
The second main idea of screen time, isn’t exactly earning it, but a list of tasks they must complete before they can have it. In this situation no exact time is involved, unless you previously set a time once they complete those tasks.
Get Your Free Printable Earning Screen Time Reward Chart
I have several different reward charts in my shop, but you can have this one for FREE. I believe it is the most common one, where you earn screen time throughout the week. As a bonus, I have also included fun screen time house rules wall art.
Ways To Earn Screen Time For Kids
There are many ways kids can earn screen time. This has really impacted my son the most. My kids get a set of time in the morning and the afternoon, but they have things they have to finish before they get it.
And it’s funny that they will do it all on their own without being asked. So we know it’s possible! I think this has taught my children good habits.
Here are some ways your kids can earn screen time. You can include all or some of these items on your free printable earning screen time reward chart.
Chores
Any chore can be used to earn screen time. With each chore you can earn a different amount of time, depending on the complexity of the chore.
Or, you can have just a list of what needs to be complete before any screen time happens. Here’s a list of some common chores and chores we use in my household.
- Make your bed
- Pick up your room
- Something from their chore chart
- Put away dishes
- Clean up all toys around house
- Put clothes away
- Help with dinner
- Clean up after dinner
- Food/water for pet
- Clean up backpack
- Put lunch box away
- Random chore that you want done around the house
Homework
All school work must be complete before screen time in the evenings or after school.
Playing Outside
During the summer, it might be harder for your kids to get out and play. In school, they get recess time.
You could require time outside before they can do screen time. It helps them be in nature and get exercise, which is good for mental health.
Read a Book
Another good task is to read so many minutes in a book before they can have screen time. This is a perfect activity in the summer, you might find your kids read more than any other previous summer.
Do Something Nice
Help your kids get in the habit of doing nice things for others. They can do something for the neighbor or a sibling. Maybe they can help you with something extra around the house or bake goods for someone. Here are some more good kids service ideas.
Life Tasks
My kids hate getting dressed and brushing their teeth. But, when I make it a thing they have to do before screen time – there is way less whining!
If there is something that your child struggles to do like, get dressed, eat dinner, or put shoes on, make it something they have to do before screen time. I also find that once my kids start doing it for screen time, they realize it’s really not that hard.
Work Towards a Goal
Are there goals your kids are working towards? If not, have them set a goal. They can spend 20 minutes working towards helping them accomplish their goal.
Vegetables
I think having your kids eat vegetables before screen time can be a clever way to have kids get something healthy in their diet. And it doesn’t have to be vegetables, it can be anything healthy.
Earning Screen Time (Chore Chart Before Electronics) Printables
There are so many different screen time charts you can use. Let’s review the different options.
A weekly screen chart where kids can earn each day during the week. You can find 3 different designs in my shop with matching screen time bucks.
A daily checklist of things kids have to do in-order-to do screen time. In this scenario, your kids don’t really earn amounts of screen time for each task.
A morning and afternoon screen time chore chart. In our house we like to split our screen time during the day so there are things in the morning and the afternoon my kids have to complete.
You can have your kids earn extra time with this extra screen time chart.
You can also get a weekly screen time checklist.
Just hang up a list of things your kids can do to earn screen time. Once it’s done, you can give them bucks or tokens.
Screen Time Extras
Let’s review some more extra items that go well with the printable screen time charts from above.
Finally, if you want access to all these printable earning screen time charts and associate printables – get the bundle! You get all the different screen time options to choose from, so you can figure out what works best for your family.
Don’t forget to get your free printable earning screen time chart before you go!
You can do just about anything you want when it comes to screen time and your kids. You can make them earn it, you can have a list of things they have to do in order to get screen time, or you can have them do something to get screen bucks or tokens. This is something you can be creative with and experiment to find what works for your family.
Before you go, don’t forget to download your FREE weekly screen time chart by filling in the form below.
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