Free Printable Summer Screen Time Rules Checklist

My son used to think summer = 24/7 screen time. Kids love testing our boundaries but I have no affinity for drama when it’s so pretty outside! I created this free printable summer screen time rules checklist to bring some routine to our days. It’s editable so you can customize it and ensure a healthy mix of responsibilities and screen-free activities.

If I had a nickel for every time Spencer tried to sneak in “just one more level” during the summer, I’d have a lot of nickels! This printable existed in its handwritten form back then, definitely not as pretty but just as effective.

We all know too much screen time isn’t the best for kids. This printable also makes them a little more responsible and puts an end to those endless screen time negotiations.

📌It’s designed to print on regular U.S. Letter paper, it’s editable so good for kids of all ages, and makes it super easy to establish a summer routine for kids.

💻 How to Use the Summer Screen Time Rules Checklist

To start, have a little chat with your child. It’s a good idea to set up their routine together. I promise, this is the final round of ‘negotiations’!

👉Daily Responsibilities – This is the list of must-dos. They’re the mandatory ‘earn your screen time’ part.

There’s space for 8 tasks and you can fill them directly in the PDF file. Ideally, this core routine should be a mix of chores and activites, like making the bed, feeding the fish, practicing an instrument, or reading for 30 minutes.

And definitely make sure at least some of the activities are things your child enjoys doing.

👉Bonus Time – As good as this sounds, I highly recommend you limit daily bonus time to no more than an extra 30 minutes of screen time. Don’t forget the main goal: to instill some responsibility in your child and make sure they have a varied schedule that keeps them away from electronic devices.

So keep the reward per task small (2-5 minutes) if you plan on giving your child several quick tasks, and you can increase it a bit (5-10 minutes) if you will assign fewer but more time-consuming chores.

What should those chores be? It could be anything you need help with around the house or additional educational activities like extra reading. We’ll talk more about chores later but ultimately you decide them based on your child’s age and interests.

⬇️ Grab It Now

✔️Enter your name and email in the box below and hit the “Grab It Now” button.

✔️We’ll send you an email with the download link for the free printable summer screen time rules checklist.

✔️Open it, click the link, and save the PDF file to your device.

✏️ How To Edit & Print

✔️Once you have the summer screen time rules checklist downloaded, open the file with a PDF reader (like the free Adobe Reader).

📌Note: Many apps can open PDF files, including your email, your web browser, and preview apps. However, fonts might not be displayed properly in some cases, especially those used for editable fields. I highly recommend using a dedicated PDF reader app to open this file format for printing.

✔️The beauty of this printable is that it’s editable! So, you can type directly into the fields before printing, making it personalized for each child.

✔️If you prefer to write by hand, simply delete the text from all editable fields and it will print blank.

✔️With all the edits done, go to File->Print. Use the default settings if printing on regular U.S. Letter paper.

✔️For other paper sizes such as A4 and A5 you can change the Scale setting until it looks good.

✔️Hit the “Print” button and enjoy!

🧺 Age-Appropriate Chores

Like your child’s summer activities depend on their age, so do the chores. For very young kids, small tasks like putting their toys back are a big win!

And as much as they love earning screen time, it’s a good idea to combine this with a more inclusive reward system for chores. I used these free printable chore punch cards with great success!

They offer the flexibility to choose whatever rewards you want and make it a fun game. You’ll also find plenty of age-appropriate chore ideas for kids in that post, so you can quickly create a summer routine that works.

📌Post the printed checklist somewhere visible like the fridge or a family bulletin board. This way, everyone knows the rules, and there are no surprises or sneaky attempts to bend the system!

If you stay consistent, your entire family will get the hang of this new routine within a few days. More responsibilities completed, but also more time for fun in the sun!