Safe Screen Time & Apps for Kids’ Well Being

From schoolwork to connecting with friends, kids use screens for all kinds of things — so it’s not realistic to forbid them altogether. But there are good reasons to be aware of how much time your child is spending on their devices. It’s also important to consider what content they’re looking at and how they’re engaging with it.

Many apps and television shows say they’re educational for children. But they’re not a good substitute for real life. It’s important for kids to spend lots of time socializing, moving around, and learning how to interact with the world around them. Our Media Guidelines for Kids of All Ages provides some age-appropriate tips to help you ensure that your child maintains a healthy level of screen time.

The best way for kids to learn how to safely interact with media is for parents to do it with them. Just like reading a book together, kids learn more when you talk through what’s happening together.

Download Safe and Positive Screen Time Tip Sheet

The best apps and programs for kids are interactive and encourage healthy habits like mindfulness, movement, paced breathing, and coping strategies. To help parents with this process, we partnered with Google Play to curate a list of Teacher Approved apps reviewed by our clinicians. These apps support children’s mental health and well-being— like learning how to calm down when they’re feeling angry or other big emotions — and help them practice basic academic skills in a safe and entertaining way.

View the Full App Collection