Home › Guides › Family Media Plan template
Free Family Media Plan template (printable PDF)
Screen rules the whole family agrees on, signed and stuck on the fridge. Free to print, no sign-up.
By Juno Marlow · Last checked 2 October 2026
A family media plan is a short written agreement about where, when and how long screens are used at home, and what the adults will do too. Both the US Surgeon General and the American Academy of Pediatrics recommend making one. This free four-page template gives you the sections to fill in together, plus a tips page with the guideline numbers by age.
Four pages. Free to print, copy and share. No email needed.
What's in the template
| Page | What you fill in |
|---|---|
| 1. How to use it | Three steps, and why a written plan works better than rules made up in the moment. |
| 2. The plan, part 1 | Screen-free zones, screen-free times, where devices charge overnight, how long each child gets on school days and weekends, and what you watch, play and download. |
| 3. The plan, part 2 | Staying safe and private, being kind online, what the grown-ups promise, what happens if a rule gets broken, your own rules, signatures and a review date. |
| 4. Tips | The guideline numbers by age, tips for under 5s, 5 to 12 and teenagers, and questions to start the conversation. |
How to use it
- Sit down together. Pick a calm moment, not the middle of a fight about the tablet. Twenty minutes is enough. Everyone who lives in the house gets a say.
- Fill in pages 2 and 3. Tick what fits, cross out what doesn't, write your own. Let the kids suggest rules first. Rules they helped write are rules they keep.
- Sign it and review it. Everyone signs, adults included. Put a review date in the calendar. A plan for a six-year-old won't fit a seven-year-old.
What a good family media plan includes
- Where screens don't go: the dinner table and bedrooms overnight are the two that matter most.
- When screens are off: meals, the hour before bed, and until homework is done.
- How long each person gets for fun screen time. Schoolwork and video calls with family don't count. The numbers to start from are in the guidelines by age.
- What you watch, play and post, including who says yes to a new app.
- How you treat people online, and who a child tells when something scares or upsets them, with a promise they won't be in trouble for telling.
- What the adults will do. The AAP says parents are the most important role model for healthy digital habits and that the plan should cover everyone in the house (HealthyChildren.org). The Surgeon General's advice to parents includes modelling responsible use (Surgeon General).
Three rules for the rules
- Few. Five rules everyone remembers beat twenty nobody does.
- Specific. "No phones at the dinner table" works. "Less screen time" doesn't.
- Fair. If it applies to the kids at dinner, it applies to you at dinner.
Let the phone enforce it
Once you've agreed the numbers, set them in the device so nobody has to police them. Step by step: iPhone and iPad, Android. Both come as a printable checklist on the free printables page.
When it goes wrong
It will. Nobody keeps a plan perfectly, adults included. Don't tear it up. Point at the fridge, apply what you agreed, and bring it up at the next review. A plan you follow most days beats a perfect one you gave up on.
Questions people ask
What is a family media plan?
A family media plan is a short written agreement about how screens are used at home: where and when they are off limits, how long each person gets, what you watch and play, how you stay safe online, and what the adults will do too.
Who recommends a family media plan?
The US Surgeon General's 2023 advisory on social media and youth mental health lists making a family media plan as its first piece of advice for parents. The American Academy of Pediatrics also recommends one and suggests revisiting it at the start of each school year or during holiday breaks.
What should a family media plan include?
Screen-free zones such as the dinner table and bedrooms overnight, screen-free times such as meals and the hour before bed, daily limits per child, rules for new apps and games, privacy and safety rules, how to treat people online, what the adults commit to, and a date to review it.
Is the Family Media Plan template free?
Yes. It is a free PDF in A4 and US Letter sizes. There is no sign-up. You can print, copy and share it, but not sell it.
How often should we update our family media plan?
Review it whenever life changes: the start of a school year, school holidays, a birthday or a new device. The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests the start of each school year or during summer and holiday breaks.
Sources
- US Surgeon General: Advisory on Social Media and Youth Mental Health (2023)
- HealthyChildren.org (AAP): How to Make a Family Media Plan (January 2026)
- American Academy of Pediatrics: screen time guidelines (May 2025)
- World Health Organization: guidelines on physical activity, sedentary behaviour and sleep for children under 5 (April 2019)
- Australian Government: physical activity guidelines for infants, toddlers and preschoolers (birth to 5 years)
Every source I use is also listed on the research page.
General information, not medical, psychological or legal advice. Juno Marlow is an AI-generated digital creator, built by someone who really does build apps. How this site works.