Family Phone Rules Template: A Copyable Tech Agreement (2026)

Updated 2026-11-10 · By the Touch Grass editors

Quick answer

A family phone rules template should cover six things: where devices sleep at night, phone-free meals, homework time, who approves apps and contacts, what happens when a rule is broken, and a date to review it. Copy the agreement below, pick the version for your kid's age, and sign it together. The rules apply to parents too.

Family tech rules work best when they're written down, short, and made with your kids instead of handed to them. A written agreement turns "because I said so" into "because we agreed," and it gives everyone something to point to when things get heated.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends families make a Family Media Plan and model healthy habits with their own devices. Below is a copyable agreement in that spirit, plus versions for little kids, early elementary and the first-phone years.

What should a family phone agreement include?

A good family phone agreement answers six questions everyone in the house can remember:

Where do devices sleep? A shared charging spot outside bedrooms.
When are devices away? Meals, and the hour before bed.
When is homework time? And whether devices are allowed for it.
Who approves what? New apps, games, contacts and accounts.
What happens if a rule breaks? A consequence everyone knows ahead of time.
When do we review it? A date on the calendar to update the rules.

The AAP's family guidance suggests starting screen-free zones with bedrooms and mealtimes, especially in the hour before bed. That's a good first draft for most families.

Copy this family tech agreement

Copy it into a doc or onto paper, fill in the blanks together, and stick it on the fridge.

Our Family Tech Agreement

Family: ____________

Date: ____________

1. Where devices sleep

All phones, tablets and watches charge at ____________ (for example, the kitchen counter) by ____ pm.
No devices in bedrooms overnight. This includes grown-ups' phones.
We use a real alarm clock instead of a phone alarm.

2. Meals

No phones at the table during ____________ (breakfast / dinner / all meals).
Phones go in ____________ before we sit down.
If a grown-up needs to take a call, they step away and say so.

3. Homework and school nights

Homework happens at ____________, from ____ to ____.
Devices are only out for homework if the assignment needs them.
Fun screen time on school nights: ____________.

4. Who approves apps, games and contacts

New apps and games are approved by ____________ before downloading.
New contacts are approved by ____________.
Passwords are shared with ____________.
If something online feels weird or scary, I tell a grown-up, and I won't get in trouble for telling.

5. If a rule gets broken

First time: we talk about it and reset.
Next time: ____________ (for example, the device stays in the charging spot for the rest of the day).
Consequences are about the rule, never about who you are.

6. Review date

We'll look at this again on ____________, and after any birthday or new device.

Signed: ____________ ____________ ____________

Version for kids under 6

For little kids, the agreement is mostly about the grown-ups and the family tablet. Keep it to three or four picture-friendly rules.

The tablet lives in ____________ and a grown-up hands it out.
We watch together when we can. The AAP encourages parents to watch and play alongside their kids.
No screens at meals or in the hour before bed. A story player or books take over at bedtime.
Grown-ups put phones away at the table too.

Swaps that help: a Yoto Player or Toniebox 2 for stories kids choose themselves, and an ok-to-wake clock like the LittleHippo Mella instead of "is it morning?" checks on your phone.

Version for ages 6–9

At 6–9, kids may have a watch, a landline or a shared device. Add rules about contacts and asking first.

I can call people on our approved list. New contacts are added by a grown-up.
I ask before downloading any app or game, even free ones.
Devices charge in ____________ overnight.
Screen time happens after ____________ (homework, chores, outside time).
I tell a grown-up if anyone asks me to keep a secret online.

A Wi-Fi kids' landline is one way to let kids this age call friends and grandparents. Tin Can and Pinwheel Home only connect parent-approved contacts. Read more in what is a kids' landline.

Version for ages 10–12 (first phone)

For a first phone, the agreement gets more specific and more two-way. Let your kid propose some of the rules.

The phone is ours to share, and grown-ups can see what's on it. That changes as trust grows.
Phone charges in ____________ by ____ pm on school nights and ____ pm on weekends.
No phones at meals, at the table or in the car on ____________.
Apps, group chats and accounts need a yes from ____________ first.
I won't share photos of other people without asking them.
We review this every ____ months, and rules can loosen as things go well.

Not sure about a smartphone yet? See how to give your kid a first phone without a smartphone.

Where should phones live at night?

Phones should live in one shared spot outside bedrooms, for kids and parents. A charging station on the kitchen counter works. A few tools make it stick:

Yondr Home Tray (about $249): a lined tray from the phone-free-schools company that blocks cellular, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth when it's closed, with an optional key lock. It holds about six phones. Running a charging cable through the hatch turns the blocking off, so decide whether it's for charging or for blocking.
kSafe (about $59): a time-lock container. Set a timer and the lid won't open until it's done, up to 10 days. Some bases have a charging port.

Both are optional. A basket and a power strip does the same job if everyone sticks to it.

Yondr

Yondr Home Tray

The phone-free-schools company's box for your kitchen $249

kSafe

kSafe Time-Locking Container

"Phone jail": set a timer and it won't open until it's done $59

What consequences work for breaking phone rules?

The consequences that work best are small, predictable and connected to the rule. If the phone stayed in a bedroom overnight, it charges in the kitchen an hour earlier tomorrow.

Agree on consequences when everyone's calm, and write them in the agreement.
Keep them short. A day, not a month.
Never punish a kid for telling you about something bad they saw online. You want them to keep telling you.
Grown-ups follow the same rules. If you break one, say so out loud and reset.

How often should you review a family tech agreement?

Review it every few months, and any time something big changes: a birthday, a new device, a new school year or summer break. Put the date in the agreement so it actually happens.

Use the review to loosen rules that are going well and fix the ones that aren't. Ask your kids what they'd change first.

Frequently asked questions

What should be in a family phone contract?

Where devices charge at night, phone-free meals, homework time, who approves apps and contacts, consequences for breaking rules, and a review date.

Should parents follow the family phone rules too?

Yes. The AAP recommends parents model healthy media habits with their own devices, and its family guidance puts it simply: kids copy what they see.

Where should kids' phones be at night?

In a shared charging spot outside bedrooms. AAP family guidance suggests starting screen-free zones with bedrooms and mealtimes, especially the hour before bed.

Is there an official family media plan?

Yes. The AAP has a free Family Media Plan tool on HealthyChildren.org that helps you set boundaries for your family's routines and values.

Do I need a phone lock box?

No. A shared charging basket works if everyone sticks to it. Tools like the Yondr Home Tray or kSafe add friction if you need it.

How often should we update our family tech rules?

Every few months, and after birthdays, new devices or a new school year.

Sources

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