Bedtime screen rules for kids that actually hold

What pediatricians suggest about screens at night

The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests keeping all screens out of children’s bedrooms, especially at night, and turning screens off at least 1 hour before bedtime. That includes TVs, computers, tablets and phones.

• Make bedrooms screen-free. The AAP calls bedrooms and mealtimes “great places to start.”
• Charge devices outside the bedroom. A kitchen charging spot means no phone under the pillow.
• Go first. The AAP suggests parents put their own phone down at meals and bedtime too.

Sources: Healthy Sleep Habits (updated August 2026) and Helping Kids Thrive in a Digital World (updated June 2026), on the AAP’s HealthyChildren.org. This guide is general information, not medical advice. Your child’s doctor knows your child best, so ask them if you’re unsure what fits your family.

Apple’s Downtime and Screen Time Schedule

Apple’s Screen Time has a built-in quiet time. On iOS 26 it’s called Downtime. In Apple’s newest iOS it’s called Screen Time Schedule.

On iOS 26 and iPadOS 26

1. On your iPhone, open Settings, tap Screen Time, then tap your child’s name.
2. Tap Downtime, then Scheduled. Choose Every Day or Customize Days, then set the start and end times.
3. Set a Screen Time passcode for your child, then turn on Block at Downtime. Without it, your child sees a reminder but can keep using apps.
4. Tap Always Allowed to choose apps and contacts your child can use at any time.

Apple sends a reminder 5 minutes before Downtime starts. Source: Set schedules with Screen Time.

On the newest iOS and iPadOS

1. Open Settings, tap Family, then tap your child’s name.
2. Tap Screen Time Schedule and turn on Schedule.
3. Tap Add Schedule and choose the days. Then tap Add Time Window to set the times and which types of apps are allowed.

Sources: Set up parental controls and Time Allowances and Screen Time Schedules.

Why bedtime rules slip

• Extra time runs late. “Just ten more minutes” at 8:55 PM turns into a later bedtime.
• Weekends need a different time, and nobody remembers to change it back on Sunday.
• A second device is still awake in the bedroom after the first one locks.
• The rule isn’t clear, so every night starts a new argument.

A bedtime that holds is one that stays the same no matter what happened during the day, and that every device follows.

Set a bedtime in SteadyBounds

SteadyBounds is a parental control app for iPhone and iPad where kids earn extra screen time through learning lessons and chores their parents approve. Bedtimes are free, and extra time never changes bedtime.

1. Open SteadyBounds on your phone. On Home, tap your child’s card to open their Controls page.
2. Under Bedtime, tap School nights (Sunday to Thursday) or Weekend nights (Friday and Saturday).
3. Set when apps stop for the night and when they come back in the morning, then tap Done.
4. Tap Save changes. You see “Applied” once your child’s device confirms the change.

What your child sees: at bedtime, apps lock and the screen says “It’s bedtime.” Apps you chose to stay open, like Phone or a school app, still open.

Good to know:

• Extra time, earned time and approved requests never move bedtime. To change bedtime, edit it on your child’s Controls page.
• Bedtime uses your family’s home time zone, so check it when you travel.
• Want a screen-free dinner too? Use App-free times on the same Controls page.

Bedtime activity alerts (Premium)

Bedtime activity alerts tell you if your child’s device is used during bedtime. They are part of SteadyBounds Premium. Bedtime itself stays free.

1. On your child’s Controls page, tap Activity during bedtime.
2. Turn on Share bedtime activity.

• You see when your child’s device was first active during a bedtime period. It doesn’t tell you which app was opened. An alert is sent only if the report reaches SteadyBounds within an hour, so some alerts can be late or missed.
• It can include apps you chose to stay open, or something already running when bedtime started.
• You get one report per device, per bedtime period, and your family can see the last 30 days. On a teen’s device, it starts only after the teen agrees there.

Premium costs $5.99 a month or $49.99 a year. The yearly plan includes a 14-day free trial for eligible new subscribers.

Download SteadyBounds free and set school-night and weekend bedtimes tonight.

Common questions

More parent guides

• How much screen time is right for my child?
• Parental controls setup checklist for a new iPhone or iPad
• SteadyBounds help and troubleshooting