Earn Screen Time Chart: Free Printable for Kids (Exercise)

An earn screen time chart lets kids trade active play for screen minutes, usually 1 minute of movement for 1 minute of screens, up to a daily cap. For ages 6 to 17, build it around the CDC's 60 minutes of daily activity, keep caps age-appropriate, and leave homework and sleep out of the deal.

If screen time battles are a daily thing in your house, a chart can take the arguing out of it. The rule is visible, the same every day, and in your child's control: move first, then screens. The table below is ready to print or copy onto a whiteboard.

The timing is good. WHO reports that 81% of adolescents aged 11 to 17 worldwide don't get enough physical activity. A chart that turns scroll time into play time tackles both problems at once.

What is an earn screen time chart?

It is a simple list of activities and the screen minutes each one earns. Your child does the activity, marks it, and gets the minutes, up to a daily cap you set. Done well, it shifts the default from "screens unless someone says stop" to "move first, then choose."

Free printable earn screen time chart

Print this page, or copy the table onto a sheet with columns for each day of the week. Add a checkbox per activity, and a line at the bottom for "Minutes earned today" and "Minutes used."

How much screen time should kids have by age?

The official guidance is clearest for young children. The WHO says screen time isn't recommended for 1-year-olds, and children aged 2 to 4 should have no more than 1 hour of sedentary screen time a day, with less being better. For school-age kids and teens, the American Academy of Pediatrics doesn't set one number. It recommends a family media plan, with screen-free times and places like meals and bedtime, and consistent routines and limits for younger children.

Activity is clearer. The CDC says children and teens aged 6 to 17 need at least 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous activity every day, mostly aerobic, with vigorous activity, muscle strengthening (like climbing or pushups) and bone strengthening (like jumping or running) each on at least 3 days a week.

The suggested caps are our starting points for a chart, not official limits. Adjust for your child, your schedule and your values. For the little ones, see screen time for toddlers.

How do you roll out a screen time chart?

• Make the plan together. The AAP recommends building a family media plan with your kids. Ask them which activities they would like on the chart. Buy-in beats enforcement.
• Set the cap first. Decide the daily maximum before anyone earns a minute, so a three-hour soccer tournament doesn't turn into a three-hour game marathon.
• Keep some screen time free. Homework, video calls with grandparents and creative projects shouldn't need earning.
• Pick a tracking method. A fridge chart and stickers for younger kids. A shared note or whiteboard for older ones.
• Start with a trial week. Tell your kids you will review it together on Sunday and fix anything that feels unfair.
• Join in. A family walk earns everyone minutes and shows that the rule isn't just for kids. Ideas in screen-free family time.

What are the common pitfalls?

• Making screens the ultimate prize. If every good thing earns screens, screens start to feel like the most valuable thing in the house. Keep praise, outdoor time and family fun as rewards in their own right.
• No daily cap. Earning without a ceiling just moves the problem. Unused minutes shouldn't roll over indefinitely either; a weekly reset keeps it simple.
• Counting the wrong things. Sitting chores and homework don't build the 60 minutes kids need. Keep the chart about movement.
• Ignoring sleep. No amount of earned time should push into bedtime. The AAP lists media that interferes with physical activity, healthy eating or bedtime as a red flag at any age.
• Inconsistency. A chart that is enforced on Monday and forgotten by Thursday teaches kids to wait you out.
• Punishing slips with big losses. Small, predictable consequences work better than dramatic ones.

How do you adapt the chart for teens?

Teens push back on charts that feel babyish. Make it a negotiated agreement instead: an amount of daily activity they choose, an agreed cap on recreational scrolling, and phones out of the bedroom at night. Movement also helps the brain. The CDC notes that right after a session of moderate-to-vigorous activity, children aged 6 to 13 show improved thinking, which makes a quick workout before homework a smart habit; see exercise before studying. If your teen's phone use already feels out of control, read our parent guide to teen phone addiction.

Can an app enforce earn-your-screen-time?

BurnScroll is built for the person who owns the iPhone, so it suits teens with their own iPhone who want to take part, and parents who want to model the habit. It is not a parental-control app. On their own phone, your teen picks the apps to lock, such as TikTok, Instagram or games. They burn active calories in any exercise, read from Apple Health or an Apple Watch, and about 100 active calories unlocks roughly 20 minutes. It works best when your teen chooses it as part of your family agreement, not as a punishment.

Frequently asked questions

What is a good earn screen time chart ratio?

A 1-to-1 ratio, one minute of active play for one minute of screen time, is easy for kids to understand. Give half credit for long activities like sports practice so daily caps stay reasonable, and set the cap before anyone starts earning.

How much screen time should a 10-year-old have?

The AAP doesn't set a single number for school-age children. It recommends a family media plan that protects sleep, physical activity, homework and family time. Many families start around 1 to 1.5 hours of recreational screen time on school days, alongside at least 60 minutes of daily activity as the CDC recommends.

How much exercise do kids need each day?

The CDC says children and teens aged 6 to 17 need at least 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity every day. Muscle-strengthening and bone-strengthening activities should each be included at least 3 days a week.

Should homework count on an earn screen time chart?

Most families keep homework and schoolwork separate. Computers used for school shouldn't need earning, and the chart works best when it focuses only on movement and play.

Do earn screen time charts work for teens?

They work better as a negotiated agreement than a sticker chart. Let teens choose their activities, agree on a daily cap and phone-free bedtime together, and review it every few weeks.

The takeaway

A good earn screen time chart is simple: movement first, a clear daily cap, and sleep protected. Build it with your kids, start with a one-week trial, and adjust as you go. The real win isn't fewer minutes on a screen, it is more minutes spent moving.

Sources: CDC: Child Activity Overview, WHO: Children need to sit less and play more (2019), WHO: Physical activity fact sheet, HealthyChildren.org (AAP): Kids and Tech Tips for Parents, HealthyChildren.org (AAP): How to Make a Family Media Plan, CDC: Benefits of Physical Activity

This article is general information, not medical advice.