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Importance of Screen-Time Alternatives

Screen-time is a difficult subject to take on for many caregivers and students.  We all enjoy screen-time in various forms, whether it’s streaming a movie, watching a football game, or playing an RPG online.  When it comes to work and school, we know screens are going to be inevitable, even important, but it is how we reduce the screen-time as it relates to our personal free-time that we all must work on.  Being inactive and watching TV for long periods of time can be detrimental to anyone, whether it is a caregiver or student.  We are excited to present the following resources as we try our best to help you and the overall community reduce their screen-time and increase their health.

PHS Screen-Free Week Challenge

Activity Description:

Screen-Free Week (formerly TV-Turnoff) is an annual event where children, families, schools and communities are encouraged to turn off screens and “turn on life.” Instead of relying on television programming for entertainment, participants read, daydream, explore, enjoy nature, and spend time with family and friends. Over 100 million people have taken part in the turnoff, with millions participating each year.

We are putting a spin on Screen-Free Week by making it a competition! The main goal for students is to earn seven rubber bands. They can earn a rubber band by spending less than two hours of daily recreational screen time. Each student will log their screen time for one week. This includes watching Netflix, YouTube, other forms of entertainment videos, playing video games, or using social media and gaming apps on their phones or tablets. As an administrator, you can choose whether to require parent/guardian signatures for each student’s time log. Students will check in with their teacher or the activity advisor every day. If they successfully had a screen-free night of less than two hours on a device, they earn one rubber band.

What is the purpose of the rubber bands?

Each student will create a cutout of their phone using cardboard paper or cardstock (laminating optional). This cutout will be used to cover their phone and the rubber bands will hold the cutout in place. This cutout will act as an extra obstacle to using the phone and encourage students to use their phone less out of boredom or habit, but instead for necessity.

Often times phone usage is mindless and this method may help students realize just how often they reach for their phones out of boredom. Having them collect rubber bands will incentivize them to earn more rubber bands and even create a fun competition with classmates to see who can collect the most rubber bands!

To jazz up the competition:
  • Students can write goals on their phone cutouts of alternative activities they would like to do
    instead of using their phone
  • Buy colorful rubber bands to add fun! We suggest rubber bands to be inclusive of all phone
    sizes. Silly Bandz and other bracelets may not fit all phones.

Download Supplemental Resources

Click on the links below to download each PDF.

Board Game and Puzzle Resources

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The largest selection of Jigsaw Puzzles, Games, Brain Teasers and accessories anywhere! Over 10,000 unique products in-stock year round! All of the top puzzle brands are included, like Ravensburger, SunsOut, Cobble Hill, Buffalo Games, White Mountain and more than 100 other brands!

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The largest selection of Jigsaw Puzzles, Games, Brain Teasers and accessories anywhere! Over 10,000 unique products in-stock year round! All of the top puzzle brands are included, like Ravensburger, SunsOut, Cobble Hill, Buffalo Games, White Mountain and more than 100 other brands!

Mobile Devices

Apple Devices

Apple Devices

Use Screen Time on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch

With Screen Time, you can access real-time reports about how much time you spend on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch, and set limits for what you want to manage.  Screen Time lets you know how much time you and your kids spend on apps, websites, and more. This way, you can make more informed decisions about how you use your devices, and set limits if you’d like to. Learn how to use parental controls to manage a child’s device.

Picture of ipad and iphone

Turn on Screen Time

  1. Go to Settings > Screen Time.
  2. Tap Turn On Screen Time.
  3. Tap Continue.
  4. Select This is My [device] or This is My Child’s [device].

After you turn on Screen Time, you’ll see a report showing how you use your device, apps, and websites. If it’s your child’s device, you can set up Screen Time and create settings on their device or you can use Family Sharing to configure your child’s device from your device. After you set up your child’s device, you can also use Family Sharing to see reports and adjust settings from your device.

With Screen Time, you can also create a dedicated passcode to secure settings, so only you can extend time or make changes. Make sure to choose a passcode that’s different from the passcode that you use to unlock your device. To change or turn off the passcode on your child’s device, go to Settings > Screen Time and tap your child’s name. Then tap Change Screen Time Passcode or Turn Off Screen Time Passcode, and authenticate the change with Face ID, Touch ID, or your device passcode.

Set a Screen Time passcode

You can set a passcode so that only you can change Screen Time settings and allow more time when app limits expire. Use this feature to set content and privacy limitations for your child’s device. The steps to set up a Screen Time passcode depend on whether you’re using Family Sharing.

If you’re using Family Sharing to manage a child account
  1. Go to Settings and tap Screen Time.
  2. Scroll down and choose your child’s name under Family. 
  3. Tap Turn on Screen Time, then tap Continue. 
  4. Set up Downtime, App Limits, and Content & Privacy with the limitations that you want for your child, or tap Not Now. 
  5. Tap Use Screen Time Passcode, then enter a passcode when prompted. Re-enter the passcode to confirm. 
  6. Enter your Apple ID and password. This can be used to reset your Screen Time passcode if you forget it. 
If you’re not using Family Sharing to manage a child account
  1. Make sure that you’re on the device used by the child.
  2. Go to Settings and tap Screen Time.
  3. Tap Turn on Screen Time, then tap Continue. 
  4. Tap This is My Child’s [device].
  5. Set up Downtime, App Limits, and Content & Privacy with the limitations that you want for your child, or tap Not Now. 
  6. Tap Use Screen Time Passcode, then enter a passcode when prompted. Re-enter the passcode to confirm. 
  7. Enter your Apple ID and password. This can be used to reset your Screen Time passcode if you forget it.

How to set up Screen Time on Apple devices

See your report and set limits

Screen Time gives you a report showing how your device is used, apps you’ve opened, and websites you’ve visited. To see the report, go to Settings > Screen Time and tap See All Activity under the graph. From there, you can see your usage, set limits for your most used apps, and see how many times a device was picked up or received a notification.

If you turned on Share Across Devices, you can view overall usage across devices that are signed in with your Apple ID and password.

iphone-image-screen-time

Manage Screen Time settings

Go to Settings > Screen Time. Then tap See All Activity, select a category in the list below and set limits. You can manage these settings with Screen Time:

downtime-icon
app-limits-icon
communication-limits-icon
always-allowed-icon
stop-graphic

downtime-iconWhen you schedule downtime in Settings, only phone calls and apps that you choose to allow are available. Downtime applies to all of your Screen Time-enabled devices, and you get a reminder five minutes before it starts. If you set a Screen Time passcode, Downtime includes an additional setting: Block At Downtime. When you choose this setting and you click Ask For More Time when Downtime starts, entering the passcode allows you to approve the app for 15 minutes, an hour, or all day. Child accounts can click One More Minute once, or click Ask For More Time to send their request to the parent account for approval.

app-limits-iconYou can set daily limits for app categories with App Limits. For example, you might want to see productivity apps while you’re at work, but not social networking or games. App Limits refresh every day at midnight, and you can delete them any time.

communication-limits-iconControl who your children can communicate with throughout the day and during downtime. These limits apply to Phone, FaceTime, Messages, and iCloud contacts. This is also where you can decide and manage which contacts are available on an Apple Watch paired through Family Setup. Communication to known emergency numbers identified by your iPhone or Apple Watch cellular carrier is always allowed. You need to have your iCloud contacts enabled to use this feature.

always-allowed-iconYou might want to access certain apps, even if it’s downtime or if you set the All Apps & Categories app limit. Phone, Messages, FaceTime, and Maps are always allowed by default, but you can remove them if you want.

content-privacy-restrictions-iconYou decide the type of content that appears on your device. Block inappropriate content, purchases, and downloads, and set your privacy settings with Content & Privacy Restrictions.

Navigate to Apple’s website for more information about Screen Time and other apps to help reduce and keep track of your devices:

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Google/Android Devices

Android mobile/tablets and Google Chromebooks

Google unveils an unparalleled set of parental controls, while allowing children under 13 to sign up for content-restricted accounts.

Add supervision to an existing Google Account

If your child already has their own Google Account, you can add supervision and manage their parental controls with Family Link. 

If your child under 13 (or the applicable age in your country) doesn’t have a Google Account yet, you can create one for them and manage it with Family Link.

If you add parental supervision to your child’s existing Google Account and your child is above the applicable age in your country, you or your child can stop supervision at any time. If your child stops supervision, you’ll be notified and your child’s supervised devices will be locked temporarily.

Note: Stopping supervision may work differently for children under 18 who live in Japan and are using a Pixel phone.

Click here for more information

When you turn on parental controls, you can restrict what content can be downloaded or purchased from Google Play based on maturity level.

How parental controls work

The way parental controls work varies across Apps & Games, Music, Movies, TV, and Books. Read the sections below to learn more.

Note: Parental controls for each type of content aren’t available in every country. If you travel to a country where they aren’t available, they might not work until you get back home.

Click here for more information

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Google Wellbeing App

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Google Wellbeing App

Set up parental controls on Google Play

When you turn on parental controls, you can restrict what content can be downloaded or purchased from Google Play based on maturity level.

How Google Play parental controls work

  • Parental controls only apply to the Android device you added them on. To add parental controls on another device, repeat the steps below on the other devices.
  • If you have multiple users on a device, you can set up different parental controls for each person.
  • The person who sets up parental controls will create a PIN that needs to be entered to remove or change the parental controls.

Set up parental controls

  1. Open the Google Play app Google Play.
  2. At the top right, tap the profile icon.
  3. Tap Settings and then Family and then Parental controls.
  4. Turn on Parental controls.
  5. To protect parental controls, create a PIN your child doesn’t know.
  6. Select the type of content you want to filter.
  7. Choose how to filter or restrict access.

If your child’s Google Account is managed with Family Link, you can set up parental controls for them.

How Google Play parental controls work

  • Parental controls work on Android devices where your child is signed in to their Google Account.
  • A parent in the family group needs to use their Google Account password to set up or change their child’s parental control settings.

Set up parental controls

  1. Open the Family Link app Family Link.
  2. Select your child.
  3. Tap Manage settings and then Controls on Google Play.
  4. Tap the type of content you want to filter.
  5. Choose how to filter or restrict access.

Tip: You can also manage your child’s account when you click on your child’s name at g.co/YourFamily.

Learn More About Parental Controls
Add Supervision Account to Child's Device

Gaming Systems

Playstation Family and Play Time Controls

Watch this short video and learn how to setup Family Management on your PS4 from the start. Learn how to set up yourself up as a Family Manager, share parental controls with assigned adults, and create child accounts to enforce time limits and purchase restrictions for your children.

Watch and learn how a family manager on a PS4 can schedule and set play time controls for children. By enabling play time controls, you can avoid the hassles of keeping track of your child’s play time.

XBOX & Windows Devices

Learn more about the tools available on Xbox and Windows 10 devices that will help enforce limitations on screen time. This Xbox One how-to series will help you establish responsible gaming habits for the whole family.

To set screen time limits for your child on Xbox and Windows 10 devices:

1. Go to your family group and sign in with your Microsoft account.

2. Find your child or family member’s name and select Screen time.

3. Set the schedule for devices together or separately.

  • To use the same schedule for all devices, turn on Use one schedule for all devices.

  • To manage the schedules separately, scroll down to Xbox One and Windows 10 and switch them On or Off individually.

4. Select the schedule for each day, how much time your child has each day, and when they can use the device. By default, Max scheduled will be on, which means they can use the device for the full time range you’ve given them.

5. If you edit your schedule choices, select Add, and then select Save.

1. Tap on the family member that you want to set screen time limits for. 

2. Tap on the screen time card or tap set limits. 

3. Set limits for when and what days screen time will be available for your child or family member on Xbox or Windows 10 devices. 

Note: Screen time limits will only be set if a device is connected. Learn more about connecting devices to family safety. 

4.  If you want to set limits across both Windows and Xbox, turn on Use one schedule for all devices. 

Tip: If you set 4 hours of screen time for both Windows and Xbox using One Schedule, this means that your child or family member can choose how to use their four hours. For example, they can have 1 hour on Xbox and 3 hours on their Windows computer. 

Note: Have your child sign out if they’re not actively using their console. Screen time counts down only during the time a child is signed in

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