Screen Time in the School Holidays: A Balanced Family Plan

Screens are part of modern family life, and holidays can make it harder to keep a balance. Without the structure of school, it's easy for a quick game or show to stretch into most of the day. If that sounds familiar, you're far from alone. This guide isn't about guilt or strict rules. It's about finding a rhythm that works for your family, so screens can be enjoyed without crowding out everything else.

Start with a family conversation

Rules imposed from above tend to spark arguments. Rules that children help create are much easier to stick to. Before the holidays begin, or in the first few days, sit down together and talk about what a good holiday day looks like for everyone.

• Ask your children what they love about their screens and what they'd like to do more of offline.
• Share what you'd like to see, such as time outside, reading, helping at home and family time.
• Talk honestly about how too much screen time can make people feel, such as tired, grumpy or restless, including adults.
• Agree that the plan can be adjusted if it isn't working.

Agree a family screen plan

Every family's plan will look different depending on children's ages, work commitments and personal values. Some useful things to agree on include:

1. When screens are used. For example, after a morning activity, during a set afternoon window, or not before breakfast.
2. Where screens are used. Many families keep devices in shared spaces and out of bedrooms.
3. What counts. Is a video call with grandparents the same as gaming? Is homework or creative work treated differently?
4. Screen-free zones and times. Meal times, car trips under a certain length or the hour before bed are common choices.
5. How it ends. A five-minute warning and a clear finishing routine reduce meltdowns.
6. What happens on special days. Rainy days, long travel days or sick days might have different rules, and that's fine.

Make screens active, not passive

Not all screen time is the same. Scrolling endlessly through short videos is very different from building something, learning a skill or connecting with family. Encourage screen use that asks your child to think, create or move.

• Create – make a stop-motion film, compose music, design a digital artwork or write and illustrate a story.
• Learn – follow a drawing, cooking or coding tutorial, or research a topic they're curious about.
• Move – try dance or exercise videos, or games that get them up and moving.
• Connect – video call grandparents, cousins or friends who live far away.
• Watch together – choose a family film or documentary and talk about it afterwards.

Choosing educational games and apps

Many games and apps describe themselves as educational, and the quality varies a lot. A few questions can help you decide what's worth your child's time:

• Does it make your child think, solve problems or create, rather than just tap and watch?
• Is it free from constant advertising and pressure to buy extras?
• Does it suit your child's age and current skill level?
• Can your child explain what they're learning or doing?
• Would you be happy to sit and play it with them?

Playing alongside your child, even for a few minutes, is one of the best ways to understand what they're enjoying and spot anything that doesn't sit right.

Screen-free swaps that actually appeal

Telling children to turn off a screen works best when there's something genuinely interesting to turn to. Have a few easy swaps ready:

• Instead of a gaming session, try a board game, card game or family quiz night.
• Instead of watching cooking videos, cook something real together.
• Instead of scrolling, head out on a nature scavenger hunt or a walk to the park.
• Instead of a show at bedtime, read a chapter together or listen to an audiobook.
• Instead of building in a game, build a cardboard city, a paper bridge or a blanket fort.

Protecting sleep

Holiday bedtimes often drift later, and screens can make it harder for children to wind down. Bright screens and exciting content keep minds busy just when they need to slow down, and devices in bedrooms can make late-night use tempting.

• Agree a screen-off time well before bed and keep it consistent.
• Charge devices outside bedrooms overnight, including parents' phones if you can.
• Replace screens before bed with calm activities like reading, drawing or a bath.
• In the last week of the holidays, gradually bring screen-off and bedtimes back towards school-night times.

Modelling a healthy balance

Children notice what adults do. If you're trying to reduce screen time for the kids, it helps to look at your own habits too. Putting your phone away at meals, choosing a book or an outdoor activity yourself, and talking openly about when you find screens hard to put down all show children that balance is something everyone works on.

When things go off track

Some days screens will win, and that's okay. A rainy day, a long car trip or a parent who needs to work may mean more screen time than usual. Rather than feeling guilty, simply return to your plan the next day. If you find screens are causing regular conflict, worry or sleep problems, revisit the plan together and adjust it. And if you have concerns about your child's wellbeing, your GP or school can be a helpful first port of call.