Nex Playground and NSPCC: making family screen time count

We started Nex because we wanted screen time that brings families together and gets everyone moving, rather than pulling everyone into separate corners.

In the UK, NSPCC has spent decades helping parents and carers keep children safe, online and offline. Together, we're helping families manage screen time with more confidence and less guilt.

What the partnership means

Our partnership focuses on helping families build meaningful screen habits. We're kicking off with:

• Support for the NSPCC's work. The partnership provides financial support for the NSPCC's work to keep children safe.
• Bring active play across England. From 6 November to 13 December, we're joining the NSPCC, content creators and special guests on a mall tour across England. Details to come in the next week.

"We're delighted to announce our new partnership with Nex Playground, an active play console that encourages families to spend time moving together. At the NSPCC, we're always looking at ways to help families make screen time better, and this partnership with Nex Playground is a natural extension of that work." — Chris Sherwood, CEO, NSPCC

Tom Kang, President and Head of International at Nex, said, “We’re thrilled to partner with the NSPCC to help families build positive screen habits together. This is just the start. From 6 November, we’re heading across England with the NSPCC to show families what active, shared play looks like, and to raise awareness of the vital work the charity does to keep children safe.”

10 tips for meaningful family screen time

1. Talk about meaningful screen time.
   Ask children what they enjoy doing on screens and how different activities make them feel. Helping them notice which screen time leaves them energised and which leaves them drained gives them the tools to make more meaningful decisions.
2. Focus on what children are doing, not just how long they're doing it.
   Not all screen time is the same. Instead of counting minutes, consider whether screen time encourages movement, creativity, learning, or connection. 
3. Make it family time.
   Play, watch or create together, so screen time becomes shared time rather than time spent apart. It's also a natural way to see what your child is doing online and start conversations about it.
4. Choose active, engaged screen time.
   Pick games and activities that get everyone moving, thinking, or talking, rather than passive scrolling.
5. Make movement part of screen time.
   Screens don't always have to mean sitting still. Look for games that get children moving, dancing, reaching, or jumping, and ask whether the on-screen pace matches what their bodies are doing. Active games work best alongside outdoor play and sport, not instead of them.
6. Think about what screens might be replacing.
   Consider how screen time fits into the whole day. If it regularly replaces sleep, outdoor play, creativity, or time with family and friends, consider adjusting how and when you use screens.
7. Choose experiences that make it easier to switch off.
   Look for games and activities with natural stopping points, such as the end of a level or a round. Avoid autoplay and experiences designed to keep children watching or playing indefinitely. The experience should have a clear finish, which makes it easier to move on to the next activity.
8. Lead by example.
   Children notice how adults use their devices. Putting your phone away at mealtimes or during conversations shows them what balanced screen time looks like in practice.
9. Agree on the rules together.
   Decide as a family when and where screens are used, and involve your child in setting the boundaries. Rules they've helped shape are easier to stick to and should apply to the whole household.
10. Aim for intention, not perfection.
    There's no perfect amount of screen time, and every family's balance will look different. Make thoughtful choices most of the time and revisit what works as your children grow.

Go deeper on screen time

Read our Parents Guide to Healthy Screen Time in partnership with our Chief Paediatric Advisor, Dr Emily Greenwald.

Need support?

Adults concerned about a child can contact the NSPCC Helpline on 0808 800 5000. Children can contact Childline for free, confidential support on 0800 1111 or at childline.org.uk.