3 ways to balance screen time and keep kids engaged this summer
Google Blog 2026-06-16 18:00:00
Context: Google and YouTube are offering tools to help families balance screen time and engage in real-world activities during the summer holidays. The tech giant provides parental controls, AI-powered learning experiences, and digital inspiration to encourage creativity and offline fun. These tools aim to help parents manage their child's screen time and promote healthy digital habits.
Key Facts
- Google and YouTube have introduced parental controls on Android devices, allowing parents to set screen time limits, schedule downtime, and control app usage, with features like Google Family Link offering additional capabilities such as School Time and location alerts.
- YouTube offers features like Shorts feed time limits, bedtime reminders, and "take a break" prompts, as well as a standalone app called YouTube Kids for children under 13, which provides a safer and more family-friendly content experience.
- AI Quests is a game-based experience that lets kids explore real-world challenges like flood forecasting and brain mapping, while Guided Learning in Gemini provides step-by-step support for topics like math and science.
- Google and YouTube suggest using digital tools to inspire offline activities, such as building forts, trying new science experiments, or creating a scavenger hunt, with features like Camp YouTube offering weekly playlists for kids during holidays.
- Mindy Brooks, VP of Product Management at Google, highlights the importance of balancing screen time with real-world fun, suggesting that parents can use tools like Gemini to spark curiosity and encourage creativity in their children.