Let kids earn screen time with learning

How earning screen time with learning works

Your child finishes a short lesson, like a few math questions or a puzzle, and earns a few extra minutes. The lesson comes first, and the reward is small. That keeps learning the main event and screen time the bonus.

It works best when the rules are clear:

• Short lessons. A few minutes each, so your child can finish and feel good about it.
• The same reward every time. Your child knows what a lesson is worth before they start.
• A daily most. Once your child reaches it, lessons are still there for practice, but they don’t add more time.
• One reward per lesson per day. Doing the same lesson again is practice, not more minutes.

How much screen time should learning earn?

Start with about 5 to 10 minutes per lesson and a daily most of 20 to 30 minutes. Watch how it goes for a week, then adjust. If earned time starts to crowd out sleep, homework or play outside, lower the daily most.

Minutes aren’t the only thing that matters. The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests choosing quality content in its Family Media Plan: apps and shows that teach, inspire creativity and encourage connection. It also suggests screen-free times, like meals, homework and before bed. For young children, the World Health Organization suggests no more than one hour a day of sitting screen time for ages 2 to 4, and less is better.

How SteadyBounds does it

SteadyBounds is a parental control app for iPhone and iPad where kids earn extra screen time through learning lessons and chores their parents approve. Lessons are built into the app, so there’s nothing else to install.

What your child can do

• Fresh Math: four-question sets with hints, from counting up through algebra.
• Code the Robot: step-by-step coding and logic puzzles.
• Science Explorer: make a prediction, test it on screen, and explain what happened.
• Build It!: building and engineering puzzles, done in the app.
• Daily challenge: a fresh challenge on your child’s Home screen every day.

Lesson questions, hints and answer choices can be read aloud. Read-aloud never uses the microphone.

Choose what learning earns

1. On your phone, open the Rewards tab and tap Learning & Rewards.
2. Tap STEM subjects and choose which subjects your child can do for rewards.
3. Tap Reward types. Under What each subject earns, choose the minutes for each subject. A reward of zero keeps the subject open for practice without adding time.
4. Tap Save Changes.
5. Set the daily most with Extra time allowed on your child’s Controls page. It’s the most that learning and approved requests can add in a day.

Good to know

• Each lesson can earn time once per day. Repeats after that are practice.
• When your child has one iPhone or iPad connected, time they spend in SteadyBounds doesn’t count toward their daily limit.
• Earned time never moves bedtime.
• Starter lessons, the daily challenge and each day’s Fresh Math set are free. Premium adds the full lesson library and extra practice, learning progress reports, and Learn first, where your child finishes a lesson before games and videos, with a reminder or a lock.
• Kids can also earn time with chores you approve.

Tips that help

• Sit with them the first time. Try a lesson together, so your child knows what to expect.
• Praise the effort. Notice when your child sticks with a hard question.
• Keep it calm. Earning is a choice, not a test. If your child would rather play outside, that’s a good day too.

Want a paper version for reading or homework? Try our free printable earn screen time chart.

Questions parents ask

More for parents

• Chores for screen time: how to set it up
• Free printable earn screen time chart
• Screen time requests not coming through
• Help with SteadyBounds

This guide is general information for families, not medical advice. If you have questions about your child’s health or habits, talk with your child’s doctor.