How to Help Kids Spend Less Time on Their Phones

Many parents want their kids to spend less time staring at screens. The problem is not the phone itself. The real issue is that the phone often becomes the only easy option. If you want your kids off their phone, you need to give them something else to do, and you need to do it with them.

Phones fill empty time

Kids reach for their phones when they are bored. It is fast, it is fun, and it demands no effort. If the only alternative is “go find something to do”, the phone will always win.

To change this, you must give them better choices.

Spend time with them

Children follow attention. If you sit with them, talk with them, and do activities with them, they naturally put the phone aside. Most kids do not want to be alone. They want connection. When they get real interaction, the screen becomes less important.

Bring back shared play

One of the simplest ways to replace phone time is to play games together. Board games work well because they mix fun, learning, and teamwork. They keep everyone at the table, talking and laughing. Games also give kids something to look forward to, which makes the phone less tempting.

When a parent sets up a game, kids join. When a parent joins the game, kids stay. It is the shared moment that matters.

Create small daily habits

You do not need a big plan. Small steps work:

• Pick one evening a week for a board game night.
• Keep a simple card game on the table.
• Invite your child to help you cook or draw.
• Sit with them while they play, not on your own phone.

These small moments build a new routine. With time, the phone becomes one option, not the only option.

Set an example

Kids copy what they see. If you are always scrolling, they will too. If you put your phone down and join them, they follow. Your actions speak louder than rules.