Printable Family Tech Agreement for Kids

A family tech agreement works best when you write it together, not when it is handed down. Sit down with your child, talk through each section, and fill in the blanks in your own words. Rules that make sense at 9 will not fit at 15, so plan to revisit it every school year or after a new device. To print, press Ctrl+P (Windows) or Command+P (Mac), or use Share, then Print on a phone.

Tip: keep your side of the deal too. Children notice when adults check phones at dinner.

Our family tech agreement

How we use phones, games and the internet

Family name: Date:

1. When and where

☐ Screens are off during:
☐ On school nights, devices go off at:
☐ At night, phones and tablets charge in: (not in bedrooms)
☐ Homework and chores come before:

2. Apps, games and accounts

☐ I ask before downloading a new app or game, or making an account.
☐ I ask before spending money, including in-game coins, gems or passes.
☐ My parent or carer knows my passwords until we agree otherwise:
☐ Games and apps we have agreed on:

3. Being safe and kind

☐ I only chat or play with people I know in real life, unless we agree otherwise.
☐ I never share my address, school, passwords or photos of myself with people online.
☐ I do not post or forward anything that could hurt or embarrass someone.
☐ If something online makes me feel scared, confused or uncomfortable, I tell:
☐ If anyone asks me for a photo, threatens me or offers me gifts, I stop replying and tell an adult right away.

4. What my parents or carers promise

☐ We will stay calm and listen if you tell us about a problem, even if a rule was broken.
☐ We will not take your device away just because you asked for help.
☐ We will explain any rules or controls we set, and review them as you grow.
☐ We will follow the screen-free times too.

5. If the agreement is broken

What happens, and for how long:

We will review this agreement on:

Child:

Parent or carer:

From jugglingchaos.co/family-tech-agreement-kids. General information only.

Making the agreement work

Start with the reasons, not the rules. A child who understands that phones in bedrooms affect sleep, or that strangers online can pretend to be kids, is more likely to stick to the plan than one who only hears “because I said so.” Let your child suggest at least one rule, and agree on one thing the adults will change too.

Pair the agreement with the built-in controls on the devices you use. Our guides walk through the settings step by step: First phone setup checklist, App and Game Guides, and the age guides for ages 8 to 10, 11 to 13 and 14 to 16.

The promise in section 4 matters most. Children often hide problems such as bullying or a threatening message because they fear losing their phone. Making it clear that asking for help is never punished keeps the door open. If someone is threatening to share an image, use our step-by-step printable.

More printables: all printable guides · Family tech agreement for older parents · Disclaimer