Manage your kid’s screen time schedule

Bark lets you manage what your kid can access on their device and when — whether that means no social media after bedtime., no YouTube during school hours, or something else entirely.

Getting started

1. Log in to your Bark dashboard or app.
2. Tap on your kid's avatar at the top and then on Screen Time.
   
   
   Note: To edit Shared, Guest, and custom home profiles, tap on Bark Home at the top and then on the profile.
3. Tap on Devices to make sure your kid's phones/tablets are set up.
4. Then, tap Rules to create screen time schedules.

Customize current rules

1. Open up your parent app / dashboard.
2. Tap on your kid's avatar at the top and then on Screen Time.
   
   Note: To edit Shared, Guest, and custom home profiles, tap on Bark Home at the top and then on the profile.
3. Tap Rules at the top.
4. Choose what you'd like to customize:
   -  Apps & websites
   -  Device settings (Bark Phone only)
   -  Exceptions
   
5. Changes may take a few minutes to take effect.

Schedule routines

1. Open up your parent app / dashboard.
2. Tap on your kid's avatar at the top and then on Screen Time.
   
   Note: To edit Shared, Guest, and custom home profiles, tap on Bark Home at the top and then on the profile.
3. Tap Rules at the top.
4. Scroll down to Routines and tap 📅 Schedule.
5. Tap the ➕ button.
6. Schedule a routine.
   
7. Verify your time zone.
8. Changes may take a few minutes to take effect.

Types of Routines

Prefer to stick to one solid ruleset to keep it simple? Just focus on the Default Rules routine!

Otherwise, use these routines to schedule automatic rules throughout the day or week. 

For example:

Customize scheduled routines

1. Open up your parent app / dashboard.
2. Tap on your kid's avatar at the top and then on Screen Time.
   
   Note: To edit Shared, Guest, and custom home profiles, tap on Bark Home at the top and then on the profile.
3. Tap Rules at the top.
4. Tap on Review other rule sets.
5. Tap on the routine you'd like to customize (e.g. Default, Bedtime).
   
6. Choose what you'd like to customize:
   -  Apps & websites
   -  Device settings (Bark Phone only)
   -  Exceptions
   
7. Changes may take a few minutes to take effect.

App Block vs. Category Block

Device settings (Bark Phone only)

We created the Bark Phone to give you even more customizable controls that can grow with your kids.

Here, you can allow or block texting, the camera, and web browsing.

Learn more about managing your kid's Bark Phone.

Switch rules for special occasions 

Use Switch in situations where you don't want to alter the whole weekly schedule for a one-time event.

For example:

• Extra homework time
• School holidays
• Vacations
• Rewarding good behavior

Pause all devices

When you Pause your kid's devices, you are blocking all internet access on their device.

Learn more: Pausing the Internet

Copy rules

You can copy the screen time routine and app blocking rules you've set up for another kid, saving you time. 

Learn more: Copy screen time rules from one kid to another

Daily Time Limits vs. Routines

As discussed in this article, routines help you set schedules for your kid's app and site time. You can pick specific blocks during the week when they can dive into their favorite apps.

But hey, sometimes you don't care when they use those apps, you just want to make sure they don't go overboard. That's where Bark Phone's daily time limits come in! You can set a maximum number of minutes or hours per day for app usage. It's an easy way to keep things in check without worrying about the clock.