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Guide · Family agreement

Screen time agreements: a template for families

Updated · For parents

The short answer

A family screen time agreement is a short written plan covering when and where screens are used, how much recreational time is available, how extra time is earned, what happens when rules are broken, and what the parents commit to. Write it together, sign it, post it, and review it monthly. Our free printable template covers all of it.

Why write it down

A spoken rule is easy to forget, reinterpret or argue about. A written one is a shared reference. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends every family create a media plan that fits its routines and values, and offers a free interactive Family Media Plan tool. The AAP also suggests the plan include guidelines for everyone in the family — parents included — and be revisited as children grow (HealthyChildren.org).

What to include

A good agreement fits on one page. Cover these sections:

  1. Screen-free times and places. The AAP suggests starting with the dinner table, homework time and before bed (HealthyChildren.org).
  2. Daily recreational time. School days and weekends can differ. Write the numbers down.
  3. Responsibilities first. What needs to happen before recreational screens — homework, chores, practice.
  4. How extra time is earned. A short list of tasks and their minute values.
  5. Which apps and content are OK. And which need a parent's OK first.
  6. When time's up. What happens at zero, and whether borrowing is allowed.
  7. If the agreement is broken. A proportional consequence and a way to make it right.
  8. What parents commit to. For example: phones down at meals, no "just one more email" at bedtime.
  9. Review date. A day each month to check in.

How to write it together

  • Pick a calm moment, not right after a screen-time fight.
  • Let your child draft some rules. Kids are often stricter on themselves than you'd expect, and they're more likely to follow rules they helped write.
  • Keep the language positive: "Phones charge in the kitchen overnight" rather than "No phones in bedrooms, ever."
  • Everyone signs, including parents.
  • Post it somewhere visible, like the fridge.

Making it stick

An agreement is only as strong as its enforcement. The more predictable the enforcement, the fewer arguments: a device that pauses games at zero is less personal than a parent pulling the plug. Pair the agreement with Apple's built-in Screen Time (our walkthrough) or an app that tracks earned time.

Get the template

Open the printable family screen-time agreement — print it or save it as a PDF from your browser, then fill it in together.

How Sprigtime helps

Once your agreement is written, Sprigtime can carry out the parts that cause the most arguments:

  • Daily time and earning rules from sections 2–4 become the allowance, daily max and task list.
  • "When time's up" is automatic: chosen apps pause at zero, with optional borrowing.
  • "If the agreement is broken" maps to behavior deductions with a clear way to earn time back.
  • The ledger gives you facts to look at during your monthly review.
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Frequently asked questions

What should be in a screen time agreement?

Screen-free times and places, daily recreational time, responsibilities that come first, how extra time is earned, allowed apps and content, what happens at zero, consequences with a way to make it right, what parents commit to, and a review date.

At what age should we make a screen time agreement?

As soon as your child can understand simple rules — often around age 5 or 6 — with the wording adjusted to their age. Older children and teens should have a bigger say in writing it.

Is there a free printable screen time contract?

Yes. Sprigtime's printable family screen-time agreement is free, has no sign-up, and can be printed or saved as a PDF from your browser.

Sources

  1. American Academy of Pediatrics — Family Media Plan (free interactive tool).
  2. American Academy of Pediatrics, HealthyChildren.org — “How to Make a Family Media Use Plan.”

This page is general information for parents, not medical advice. Talk with your child’s pediatrician about your family’s situation.