Entering elementary school marks a turning point in your child’s life. They gain independence, develop their reading and reasoning skills, expand their social circle, and begin to assert their tastes and preferences. It is also a time when screen pressure intensifies: classmates talk about video games, viral videos, and social media. How can you organize the recommended screen time of about one hour a day to ensure it is truly quality time? How can you resist the escalating demands while avoiding making your child a digital outcast? Here are the keys to navigating this pivotal period.
Characteristics of 6-10 year olds in front of screens
A rapidly expanding cognitive development
Between the ages of 6 and 10, a child’s cognitive abilities develop significantly. They master reading and writing, understand abstract concepts, and develop their working memory and planning skills. These new skills open the door to richer and potentially more educational digital content.
However, executive functions, which allow for self-regulation, remain immature. A child may intellectually understand why they should stop using screens, but struggle to do so when engaged in a captivating activity. Parental guidance remains essential, even if it can evolve towards more collaboration.
Social pressure begins
In elementary school, peer discussions increasingly revolve around digital content. Popular video games, trendy content creators, viral videos: a child who does not have access may feel excluded from conversations and struggle to participate in social exchanges.
This social pressure is real and must be taken into account without giving in to everything. It is about finding a balance between protecting your child and their need to belong to their peer group.
The appeal of video games and streaming content
It is generally at this age that the attraction to video games becomes intense, particularly among boys (although this gender difference tends to diminish). Streaming platforms with their seemingly endless catalog also exert a strong attraction.
These contents are often designed to maximize engagement and can easily exceed the recommended hour if no framework is put in place. Online multiplayer games add a social dimension that makes it even harder to interrupt (“I can’t stop now, I’m playing with my friends!”).
Why one hour a day?
A balanced recommendation
The recommendation of about one hour of screen time per day for 6-10 year olds represents a compromise between several considerations. It acknowledges that screens are part of the lives of children this age and can provide benefits (learning, entertainment, socialization). It maintains a limit that preserves time for other essential activities: homework, sports, free play, reading, family life.
One hour allows for a meaningful video game or viewing session while remaining short enough to avoid the negative effects associated with prolonged exposure. This duration is also manageable for parental supervision, even if it may be less consistent than with younger children.
Flexibility according to the days
Unlike younger children for whom regularity is crucial, 6-10 year olds can understand and manage a certain flexibility. For example, you can set a weekly quota (7 hours) with flexible distribution: less during the week (30 minutes on school days), more on weekends (1.5 to 2 hours on Saturday and Sunday).
This approach prepares the child for a more autonomous management of their screen time while maintaining an overall limit. It also recognizes the realities of family life: weekends generally offer more leisure time.
Establishing a collaborative framework
Involve the child in defining the rules
At this age, involving the child in the creation of the rules reinforces their legitimacy and their adherence. Organize a family discussion about screens where everyone can express their point of view.
Explain the reasons why you want to limit screen time in terms they can understand. Listen to their wishes and arguments. Together, seek solutions that meet their needs while respecting your limits. A child who has participated in defining a rule is more likely to adhere to it than one to whom it is simply imposed.
Create a family screen charter
Formalize your agreements in a “family screen charter” that you will display in a visible place. This charter can include allowed durations, time slots, acceptable types of content, prerequisites (homework done, room tidy), and consequences for non-compliance.
All of you should sign the charter, including parents, to show that it is a collective commitment. Plan for a periodic review (every six months, for example) to adapt the rules to the child’s development.
Gradually empower
The long-term goal is for your child to develop their own self-regulation ability. To achieve this, gradually increase their autonomy based on their maturity and adherence to established rules.
Start by managing the timer and transitions yourself. Then entrust them with the responsibility of monitoring their own time. If they respect the limits well, you can consider granting a bit more flexibility. If they abuse it, revert to tighter supervision. This gradual empowerment guides them towards autonomy while maintaining safeguards.
Organizing Screen Time Practically
Preferred Time Slots
The placement of screen time in the day influences its impact and management. The best time slots for 6-10 year-olds are generally:
Time after homework and snack offers a natural reward after school effort and still leaves time for other activities before dinner. Saturday or Sunday during the day allows for slightly longer sessions in a relaxed context. Time during a long trip can be a wise use of time that would otherwise be lost.
Time Slots to Avoid
Some moments of the day should remain protected from screens.
Morning before school can disrupt concentration for the rest of the day and complicate leaving on time. Before homework risks making the transition to schoolwork difficult: “just 5 more minutes” can easily become a battle. Evening too close to bedtime (less than an hour before) can affect falling asleep due to cognitive stimulation and blue light. During family meals deprives of an essential connection moment.
Managing Transitions
The end of screen time remains a delicate moment, even for older children. A few strategies facilitate the transition:
Use a timer that the child can see, so they are not surprised by the end. Warn them 10 minutes before, then 5 minutes before. Encourage them to choose a logical stopping point (end of a level, end of an episode) rather than a harsh cut in the middle of the action. Have an attractive activity planned for afterward.
For multiplayer games where the child plays with friends, negotiate in advance: “You can play one game, but when it’s over, it’s over, even if your friends continue.”
Choosing Quality Content
Selection Criteria for 6-10 Year-Olds
At this age, the range of accessible content expands significantly. The selection criteria include:
Age appropriateness: PEGI systems for video games and classifications for films/series provide useful indications, but your knowledge of your child remains the best guide. Educational or enriching value: without falling into the requirement that everything must be “educational,” prioritize content that brings something (knowledge, reflection, creativity) rather than those that are just a waste of time. The absence of manipulative mechanisms: avoid games with aggressive in-app purchases, random casino-like rewards, or mechanisms designed to create addiction.
Quality Educational Apps
Many quality educational apps are available for this age group. They can reinforce school learning (reading, math, science), develop transversal skills (logic, programming, creativity), or open up new knowledge.
The COCO THINKS and COCO MOVES app by DYNSEO is perfectly suited for this age group (5-10 years). It offers various educational games that stimulate cognitive abilities, with a valuable feature: a mandatory sports break every 15 minutes. This feature helps naturally respect time limits while preserving physical activity. It’s an excellent choice for part of the daily screen time. Discover COCO THINKS and COCO MOVES
Video Games: Which Ones to Prefer?
Not all video games are created equal. Some types are particularly recommendable:
Puzzle and logic games develop problem-solving and spatial thinking. Creative sandbox-type games (like Minecraft in creative mode) stimulate imagination and planning. Narrative adventure games expose players to rich stories and develop understanding of narratives. Local cooperative games (played together in the same room) combine digital with in-person social interaction.
On the other hand, be wary of competitive online games that can become very time-consuming and generate frustration, “free-to-play” games whose business model relies on compulsive purchases, and games with violent or age-inappropriate content.
Supporting Without Excessive Control
Finding the Right Balance
With 6-10 year-olds, parental support evolves. It’s no longer about watching every minute of screen time with the child, but about maintaining a caring and informed presence.
Stay informed about what your child is doing on screens by taking a genuine interest. Sometimes play with them, watch content together, ask them to show you what they like. This involvement allows you to stay connected to their digital world without falling into constant surveillance.
Parental Controls: Useful but Not Sufficient
Parental control tools can help you enforce time limits and filter inappropriate content. They provide a useful safety net, particularly to avoid accidental access to problematic content.
However, they do not replace education. A child who has not understood the reasons for the limits will circumvent the controls as soon as they can. The goal is for technical controls to support a shared understanding, not to replace dialogue and education.
Maintaining Dialogue
Create regular opportunities to discuss screens with your child. These conversations should not be interrogations but authentic exchanges. What cool things have they discovered? Was there anything surprising or disturbing? How do they feel after a long gaming session versus a short one?
These discussions develop his awareness of his own reactions to screens and his ability for self-observation. They also create an environment where he will feel comfortable alerting you if something problematic occurs online.
Balancing with other activities
Sports and physical activity
Children aged 6-10 need at least one hour of physical activity per day for their health and development. This recommendation complements the one regarding screens: if the child moves enough, an hour of screen time fits easily into their day.
Encourage regular sports practice, outdoor play, and active transportation (walking, biking). A child who has had their dose of movement will be less demanding of screens as their need for stimulation will have been satisfied through other means.
Homework and schoolwork
Leisure screen time should come after homework, not before. This simple rule avoids conflicts (“I’ll finish after”) and teaches priority management. It also makes screen time a natural form of reward after effort.
However, be careful to distinguish leisure screen time from screen time necessary for homework. More and more teachers are using digital tools, and some assignments may require a computer. This time should not be counted in the leisure hour.
Social and family time
Ensure that screen time does not encroach on time spent with family and friends in person. Family meals, shared weekend activities, and playtime with friends are essential for the child’s social development.
If you notice that your child consistently prefers screens to human interactions, it’s a warning sign. This may indicate the beginning of addiction or mask social difficulties that would be better explored.
Reading time
Reading remains an irreplaceable activity for language development, imagination, and knowledge. It may seem less attractive than screens, but it deserves to be protected and encouraged.
Create a daily reading ritual (in the evening before bed, for example) that does not compete with screens. Take your child to the library, give them books on their interests, and set an example by reading yourself.
Managing social pressure
When “all my friends have the right”
The argument “all my friends have the right / do this / watch that” will come up frequently. How to respond?
First, check the facts. Often, “all” means “a few” or even “one who is bragging.” Children exaggerate to support their arguments, and each family actually has different rules.
Next, acknowledge that families do indeed have different rules, and that it’s normal. Explain the reasons for your own choices without denigrating those of others. “In our family, we believe that…”
Finally, seek compromises when possible. If all their friends are playing a particular game and upon checking this game is acceptable, allowing it enables your child to share that experience with their peers.
Birthday parties and sleepovers
When your child is invited to a friend’s house or to a party, your rules collide with those of the other family. How to manage?
For close friends whose parents you know, you can discuss in advance and explain your preferences. Most parents will respect your choices. For birthday parties, accept that there may be occasional deviations. It’s not a party here and there that will ruin your upbringing. Ask your child to tell you what they did, to maintain the dialogue.
Raising awareness for thoughtful use
Developing critical thinking
Children aged 6-10 are capable of starting to develop critical thinking regarding digital content. Encourage them to ask questions: why does this video suggest I watch another one? Why does this game want me to buy virtual items? Is this information true?
These discussions, conducted lightly and age-appropriately, lay the foundations for digital literacy that will be valuable in adolescence and beyond.
Raising awareness of risks without frightening
Without being alarmist, inform your child of potential online risks: ill-intentioned people, shocking content, scams. Teach them how to react if they encounter something disturbing (close the app, come to you) and to never share personal information.
These conversations should be regular and not a single grand speech. Take advantage of opportunities that arise to address these topics naturally.
The online training “Raising Awareness about Screens: Understanding, Acting, Supporting” from DYNSEO provides you with concrete tools to address these topics with your children in an age-appropriate manner. It helps you develop a coherent and effective educational approach.
For teachers and parents who wish to facilitate awareness activities, DYNSEO also offers a screen awareness workshop for primary schools, accompanied by free educational resources. Discover the awareness workshop
Conclusion: an hour of quality for balanced development
Organizing one hour of quality screen time per day for a child aged 6 to 10 is a balancing act. It involves limiting without excessively frustrating, protecting without isolating, and accompanying without constantly monitoring. It’s a challenge, but it’s also a major educational opportunity.
By establishing a collaborative framework with your child, carefully selecting content, maintaining an open dialogue, and ensuring a balanced overall activity schedule, you provide them with the foundations for a healthy and lasting relationship with digital technologies.
This well-organized and quality daily hour can be a source of learning, entertainment, and even shared family moments. It also prepares your child for the increasing independence of adolescence by gradually imparting the self-regulation skills they will need.
The resources from DYNSEO support you in this mission, with applications designed for balanced use and training to deepen your understanding of the issues. Together, let’s build a generation that masters screens rather than being mastered by them.
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Find more articles on digital education and parenting on the DYNSEO blog. To delve deeper into these topics, discover our comprehensive training and our educational applications designed for healthy and enriching screen use.