Ending screen time goes better when it is predictable, and it is predictable when every adult says the same thing in the same order. This card puts the three-step countdown on one page: a ten-minute heads-up, a two-minute warning and the finish, with the exact words to use.
What is on it
Three steps with a timer dial for each (ten minutes, two minutes, zero), the script for each step, a line to write what comes next, and an "if the tears come" line for when it is hard.
Who it is for
Parents and caregivers of children from about three to twelve, and anyone who shares the job of ending screen time: grandparents, sitters, older siblings. It is the adult's script rather than the child's chart, so it works at any age.
How to use it
- Print it and stick it near the screen, or on the fridge.
- Decide what comes next before you start the countdown and write it on the line.
- Use a timer, ideally one your child can see, so the timer is the one saying "done".
- Share a copy with grandparents and sitters so everyone uses the same words.
Tips
- The ten-minute warning is the important one; it lets your child plan an ending.
- Stay nearby at zero. Help with the transition rather than calling it from another room.
Keep going
The full approach is in our guide to ending screen time without a meltdown. A visual timer makes the countdown visible, and you can try one free with our online visual timer.
US Letter, one page, full color (it also prints fine in black and white, and on A4 with "fit to page"). Free for home, classroom and therapy use; please share the link rather than re-uploading the file. More on our free tools and printables page.
