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How limits are set, ages 6-12

How you set screen rules for school-age children: fixed minutes, weekday and weekend rules, rules about content and context, or letting the child regulate.

How should we set screen time limits for ages 6 to 12?

In short: Parents choose between 4 main approaches: Fixed daily minutes; Weekday and weekend split, or "earned" time; Content and context rules, no clock; Child self-regulates. Evidence: your call. No outcome evidence picks a winner. Preference, culture, money and logistics decide. Best settled: school age.

Evidence
Your call
Best settled
School age
Part of
Learning & the wider world

How limits are set, ages 6-12: what are the options?

Parents usually land on one of these 4 approaches.

  1. 1. Fixed daily minutes

    The child gets a set number of minutes each day.

  2. 2. Weekday and weekend split, or "earned" time

    Limits differ between school days and weekends, or the child earns time through chores or reading.

  3. 3. Content and context rules, no clock

    You set rules about what and where, and do not time it.

  4. 4. Child self-regulates

    The child manages their own screen use.

How limits are set, ages 6-12: what does the evidence say?

Your call. No outcome evidence picks a winner. Preference, culture, money and logistics decide.

86% of parents have rules; 42% say they could do better

Sources

What else is worth knowing?

At this age screens include schoolwork, games and videos, so a single number is harder to apply. Families use fixed minutes, different weekday and weekend rules, or rules about content only. Whatever you choose works better when both of you enforce it the same way.

Questions to ask each other

  • What kind of rules fit our family: minutes, times, or what and when?
  • How much say will our child have?
  • What would we do when rules are broken?

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First published 2026-10-03. Last updated 2026-10-05. General information, not medical advice.