Our Summer Screen Time Checklists
Each summer I put together a little list of things my kids have to do in order to earn more screen time. I get lots of questions about how our summer screen time checklist works, so today I’m breaking it down for you!
This time of year, we’re all absolutely bombarded with recommendations on how to have “the perfect summer”. Everyone is idealizing what the 90’s looked like, emphasizing no screens, and putting so much pressure on parents (moms, mostly – let’s be honest) to craft a summer your kids will never forget.
You’re not going to find that here.
Don’t get me wrong – my family does like a bit of structure in the summer. We all thrive under a loose schedule and predictable routines, and as much as I’d love to embrace being a “go with the flow” family, it’s just not us. But, I also am a firm believer that summer is for everyone and it shouldn’t be full of pressure.
Over the years, I’ve learned a lot of little routines and systems that help make our summer less stressful and more fun. You can read about some of them here. But one of the ones I get asked about more than any other is our screen time checklist!
What is a Screen Time Checklist?
Basically, it’s a list of things my kids have to do each day in order to “earn” their screen time. Instead of just letting them freely have screens anytime they want, I put together a list each summer of basic activities I want them to do each day.
It includes things like being creative, moving your body, doing a summer workbook, and completing chores. It’s nothing crazy, but it’s structured so that it takes at least 2.5 – 3 hours to complete.
We use these reusable checklists and they work like a charm! We’ve had them for years and I love how easy it is to change the list out and how well it works for us.
How Does the Screen Time Checklist Work?
We used to have the kids do the checklist before they had any screens, but I learned that for us, that really just led to an over-emphasis on the screens. The kids were starving for screen time and it felt like our entire days rotated around when they could have it.
So, a couple of summers back I made a shift. The kids can be free to do whatever they want (screens included!) until 9 AM. This does two things for us:
- It de-emphasizes the screens a bit and gives them some power over their day. They’re less obsessed with screen time when they know they can have some free time to kick off the day.
- And, it allows me and my husband to ease into our day a bit more. I can work out and shower at my leisure, and I can squeeze in some work while they’re fully occupied. It’s a win-win!
Once 9 AM hits, they have to turn screens off and complete the checklist before they can have any more screen time. Once the checklist is done, they get 1 hour of screens before they need to take another break. They don’t have to complete the checklist again, but they do have to be off screens for at least 2 hours after every hour they’re on!
This system works well for us for now. But, I always like to emphasize that this will shift and change as your kids shift and change! What we do at 12 and 7 isn’t what we did when they were 8 and 3 – and that’s okay!
What’s on the Checklist?
Our checklist shifts and changes slightly every year. We have a few basics that are always on it, but I also tweak and adjust based on what works for us and what doesn’t. For example, I used to always have 30 minutes of outside time on the list. But, I found that they actually spent less time outside overall when I did that! They’d head outside and set a timer and basically just wait for it to be over.
If I don’t force the outside time, though, they gravitate to the backyard and will play together out there for much longer. So this year, we took that off the list and I’m already finding them spending more time outside. So, pay attention to what does and doesn’t work and don’t be afraid to change it!
Here’s what’s on our screen time checklist this year:
- Get dressed and brush your teeth
- Make your bed and straighten your room
- Work on your BrainQuest workbook
- Do your daily chores (see below)
- 30 minutes of creative time
- 30 minutes of reading
- Move your body for 30 minutes
- 30 minutes of “bored time” (see below)
- Do something kind for someone
- Check in with mom
The last one is there because sometimes I have additional things I want them to do, or I want to double check that things were done right. I also like to know when they’ve completed the checklist so I can keep an eye on if anyone is rushing it.
The Daily Chores
We’ve tried a few different versions of this but I think it’s safe to say this is my favorite iteration. I got the idea from my bestie from college who does something similar for her kids.
I created a printout and put it on the fridge of what the kids have to do each day. They’re expected to work together for their chores (makes it easier on them AND is good practice on cooperation!) and each day is a different chore.
- Monday: clean your room and do your laundry
- Tuesday: clean the bathrooms
- Wednesday: clean the great room
- Thursday: chore jar
- Friday: clean the movie room
Each task has bullet points of what is expected for that particular day. The chore jar is something new for us but I think it’s gonna stick year after year. I made some slips of paper with one-off projects they can work on, and each Thursday they draw one and do it together. It has some bigger jobs and some smaller jobs. It includes things like:
- Clean out mom’s car
- Use a level to straighten the art on the walls and add museum putty
- Deep clean your desk
- Dust all of the blinds
- Organize the art closet
- Wipe down all of the kitchen cabinets
You get the idea. Basically, it’s all tasks they can do without a lot of supervision that are actually helpful to me, too!
The Bored List
And finally, another new addition for us this year is what I’m calling “bored time”! One of their checklist items is to spend 30 minutes doing anything they want that doesn’t involve a screen. No structure, no rules, just existing. At the beginning of summer we sat down together and I had them write a list of things they can do when they’re bored. They came up with a variety of items but here are some highlights:
- Draw
- Listen to a podcast
- Go outside
- Do a craft
- Read a book
- Play a card game
They can use this list to help them come up with something to do during their bored time, or it can also be helpful during their 2-hour break later in the day!
And that’s how the summer screen time checklist works in our house! Like I mentioned before – it shifts and changes throughout the years and nothing is set in stone. This is what’s working for us this year, and it’s the basic format that has been really effective for us for as long as I can remember!
If you have any questions drop them in the comments!
How did your kids respond to adding “bored time” to the checklist, and has it helped them become more creative or independent over the summer?
They complained about it on day one but since then they’ve done GREAT! Zero complaints, they usually play LEGO, do art, or listen to podcasts.It’s definitely helped!
This is the most helpful suggestion I’ve seen about having a relaxing but structured summer. I already bought the to do lists you recommended! Thanks so much for the amazing ideas!