March 26, 2025
In today's digital age, managing children's screen time has become a pressing concern for many parents. Studies reveal that children aged 8-12 in the United States spend an average of 4-6 hours daily on screens, while teens can spend up to 9 hours. This excessive screen time is now linked to rising rates of attention issues, anxiety, sleep disruption, and decreased academic performance.
Parents often find themselves in a constant battle to set and enforce screen time limits. A survey by the Pew Research Center indicates that 71% of parents believe the widespread use of smartphones by young children may result in more harm than benefits. Despite these concerns, implementing effective restrictions remains a challenge, with many parents lacking the tools or strategies to manage their children's screen time effectively.
We believe that healthy screen habits should start early—and that it shouldn’t all fall on the constant pressure of parents (and teachers) to make it happen.
Opal for Kids is a new version of the Opal app, designed specifically for children under 12. It creates a structured screen-time system that rewards self-control and teaches kids the value of time spent offline.
You’ll install Opal on your child’s iPhone or iPad and set it up once. After that, the app does the work.
Here’s how you’ll set it up:
You can make adjustments at any time with your PIN. Your child won’t be able to change any of their preset limitations on their own.
We’ve designed Opal for Kids to feel fun, empowering, and rewarding—not like a punishment.
🎮 When your child completes a Focus Session, they earn points.
🏠 They can use those points to customize their Opal Focus Room, decorating it with cute furniture, backgrounds accessories, and digital pets.
🧠 They learn that time off-screen is valuable—and that rewards come from staying focused.
Here’s what makes Opal for Kids different: it’s not about restrictions. It’s about choice—and teaching kids that their screen time has a cost.
When your child wants to access a blocked app outside their scheduled times, they’ll have a choice:
They can trade in one of their hard-earned items or pets to unlock a short break.
This taps into a powerful behavioral principle: loss aversion. Kids feel real attachment to the rewards they've earned, and they won’t want to lose them lightly. They’ll think twice before cashing in, and more often than not—they’ll choose to stay offline.
In doing so, they’re learning the basics of:
All without a fight. All without you needing to step in.
We’re not stopping there. In an upcoming update, we’re adding a feature that allows kids to voluntarily block their apps for bonus rewards.
They’ll be able to choose to block apps for 15, 30, or 60 minutes at a time—outside of their normal schedule—earning bonus points for every extra moment spent offline.
That means they won’t just comply with limits—they’ll actually opt into them. And they’ll feel proud doing it.
By combining structure with incentives, Opal for Kids transforms screen-time limits from a source of tension into a powerful opportunity for growth.
✅ It teaches kids to make their own choices
✅ It rewards discipline and healthy habits
✅ It gives parents peace of mind, without the daily struggle
Your child will feel in control of their screen use—and more importantly, proud of the choices they’re making.
We’re building Opal for Kids alongside real families, educators, and mental health experts. If you want to be part of the journey, join the waitlist to get early access and help shape the future of screen time.
Let’s build a healthier relationship with technology—together.
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