Family Media Plan for Better Sleep: Age-by-Age Templates (Printable)

If one printed page on your fridge could cut screen arguments in a week, would you try it? This guide turns research-backed rules into simple templates you can post tonight—so everyone knows what happens after dinner and at lights-down.

Context: Screen timing and content shape sleep, mood, and learning. Get the science in How Much Is Too Much? Screen Time & Kids, then use the routine in A Calmer Bedtime for Screen-Busy Kids. Reinforce with calm cues from the VAL Happy Kids collection.

Why a written plan works

• Predictability: kids follow rules they helped create.
• Visibility: a single page ends nightly renegotiations.
• Consistency: the same choices, in the same order, every night.

Authority template: AAP Family Media Use Plan. Sleep-habit guidance: American Academy of Sleep Medicine. Under-5 guidelines: WHO recommendations.

Core rules (applies to all ages)

1. Device curfew: entertainment screens off 60 minutes before bed; devices charge outside bedrooms.
2. Lighting: warm/low light after dinner; no overhead glare.
3. Wind-down: book or drawing; optional 2–3 minute magnesium cream/roll-on massage; white noise at lights-down.
4. Morning light: outdoor time to anchor the body clock.

Template A (Ages 3–5)

• Last screen: after dinner (short, age-appropriate) → timer ends the session.
• Bedtime hour: PJs → teeth → pick one book → lights-down.
• Choices: “animal book or truck book,” “magnesium roll-on or cream.”
• Phrase to use: “Screens are sleeping; now we help your brain get sleepy.”

Template B (Ages 6–9)

• Last screen: finish homework first; entertainment ends one hour before bed.
• Bedtime hour: dim lights → 10-minute book/drawing → diffuser on → white noise.
• Choices: “book or drawing,” “short chapter or picture book.”
• Phrase: “We charge devices so your brain learns bedtime again.”

Template C (Ages 10–12)

• Last screen: no phones in bedrooms; use a simple alarm clock.
• Bedtime hour: dim lights → checklist → 10-minute read → lights-down.
• Choices: “paper book or quiet non-lyric audio on speaker with timer.”
• Phrase: “We don’t debate the curfew; we test routines weekly and keep the best one.”

How to launch in 20 minutes

1. Print this page or copy the bullets to a one-page sheet.
2. Hold a 10-minute family meeting; let kids pick their choices (book vs drawing, cream vs roll-on).
3. Build a hallway charging station; plug everything in before PJs.
4. Stage the “calm kit” (book bin, warm lamp, diffuser blend, topical magnesium).

7-day challenge (track wins, not minutes)

1. Day 1: Post the plan; practice the power-off phrase.
2. Day 2: Add the diffuser 15–20 minutes pre-bed.
3. Day 3: Add a 2–3 minute topical magnesium massage.
4. Day 4: Keep wake time steady (±30 minutes).
5. Day 5: Replace late snacks with water + small fruit if needed.
6. Day 6: Troubleshoot what broke the routine yesterday.
7. Day 7: Celebrate one win; update the plan for next week.

FAQs

How strict should the curfew be?

Be consistent for one week, then iterate. Most families see easier bedtimes within 3–7 nights when devices charge outside bedrooms.

What if homework requires a device?

Finish school tasks earlier and reserve the last hour for off-screen wind-down. Use a simple speaker or paper books at bedtime.

Do I need aromatics or magnesium products?

No, but many families like them as cues that bedtime is starting. See gentle options in VAL Happy Kids. Treat them as part of the environment and routine—not as cures.

Internal links & CTAs

• How Much Is Too Much? Screen Time & Kids (science + limits)
• A Calmer Bedtime for Screen-Busy Kids (routine + 7-day plan)
• VAL Happy Kids (chewables, topical magnesium, gentle aromatics)

Disclaimer

Educational content only; not medical advice. Consult your pediatrician for personalized guidance. Keep all supplements out of children’s reach.