Screen-Time Budget Calculator
Enter the child's typical week to get a weekly gaming budget based on sleep, physical activity, and school hours. Output is a conversation starter, not a medical recommendation.
How to Use This Budget
The research position (Orben & Przybylski, 2019) is that screen time hours are a poor proxy for wellbeing; the type of content and context of use matter more. This calculator uses a conservative formula: free hours (after sleep, school, and physical activity) allocated at 50% to screen, capped at daily research maximums.
Games That Help You Stay Within Budget
Turn-based games (chess, puzzle), .io games with fixed match lengths (Skribbl.io, Gartic Phone), and narrative games with natural endpoints are all easier to budget than infinite idle or live-service games. See the puzzle games for kids category for budget-friendly picks.