resources for smarter screens
build healthy screen habits with our helpful guide
Discover trusted resources, books, and activities to help you and your loved ones take action in battling negative screen time effects.
The resources outlined here align directly with The SMART Social Project’s five core challenges, and our key helps you quickly find the information that matters most.
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Sometimes you just need a fast, reliable answer. Get snack-sized, practical tools and simple steps you can use right away to help build healthier screen habits.
Internet Matters
Cyberbullying • Addictive Behaviors
StopBullying.gov
Misinformation • Cyberbullying
Sleep Foundation Blue Light & Kids’ Sleep
Sleep Deprivation
Healthy Screen Habits
Addictive Behaviors
Digital Wellness Lab
Addictive Behaviors
Smartphone Addiction Test
Addictive Behaviors
Snopes
Misinformation
PolitiFact
Misinformation
Smartphone Free ChildhoodAddictive Behaviors • Social Comparison
Try one today. Small changes can add up to big benefits.
» ASK YOURSELF: When do I usually reach for my phone, and do I really need it in that moment?
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Want to dive a little deeper into the digital world? Take our list of resources to your local library or favorite bookstore and learn more about what’s happening in online. Plus, educate yourself about potential screentime effects and get strategies to help you talk with loved ones about healthier smartphone use.
Glow Kids
Cyberbullying • Addictive Behaviors • Social Comparison
How to Break Up With Your Phone
Addictive Behaviors • Social Comparison
The Anxious Generation
Addictive Behaviors • Social Comparison • Cyberbullying
Screenwise
Sleep Deprivation
The Whole-Brain Child
Sleep Deprivation
The Sleep-Deprived Teen
Sleep Deprivation
Why We Sleep
Sleep Deprivation
Sticks and Stones
Social Comparison • Cyberbullying
ConnectSafely: Parent’s Guide to Cyberbullying
Addictive Behaviors • Cyberbullying
Top 10 - Parental Controls Apps for 2025
Cyberbullying • Misinformation
Common Sense Media: Parent’s Guide to Media Literacy
Addictive Behaviors • Misinformation
News Literacy Project: RumorGuard
MisinformationPick one to read this month and start the conversation at home.
» ASK YOURSELF: Do I feel in control of my screen use… or does it feel in control of me?
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In today’s online environment, there are screens for every age. Discover interactive tools, games, and challenges, organized by age, to help the child in your life develop savvier screentime skills, avoid smartphone addiction, and build both confidence and balance.
StopBullying.gov/Kids – Kids’ Games & Activities
Cyberbullying
Dove Self-Esteem Project – Kids Activities
Social Comparison
Internet Matters – Games & Activities for Kids
Addictive Behaviors • Cyberbullying
Healthy Sleep Habits for Kids – National Sleep Foundation
Sleep Deprivation» ASK YOURSELF: Do I spend more time looking at a screen than playing, creating, or moving my body?
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Log Off Movement
Addictive Behaviors • Cyberbullying
Half the Story
Social Comparison
StopBullying.gov– “Be More Than a Bystander” Toolkit
Cyberbullying
Media Literacy Activity Center – Common Sense Media
Misinformation
Sleep Foundation –Teen Sleep Guide
Sleep Deprivation» ASK YOURSELF: When I scroll, am I escaping boredom… or avoiding something I don’t want to feel?
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Bad News Game
Misinformation
Checkology – News Literacy Project
Misinformation
7 Nights Phone-Free Challenge
Addictive Behaviors • Sleep Deprivation
Dove Self-Esteem Project – Teen Tools
Social Comparison
StopBullying.gov – Teens Page
Cyberbullying
» ASK YOURSELF: Does my online life support who I want to be offline? -
Roll up your sleeves, grab a notepad, and get ready to immerse yourself in top resources to help you become a SMART Social Project scholar. Let's take a closer look at the science behind screens and brain development.
Brainstorm
Parents’ Guide to Understanding Teen Brains
Neurosequential Model of the Brain
Neurobiology-Informed Support for Children
The Importance of Play (AAP Report)
Why Play Matters for Healthy Child Development
Live More Screen Less
Digital Wellbeing Educator TrainingChoose one deep dive and share what you learn with your family or community.
» ASK YOURSELF: What habit or pattern in my own screen use goes back further than I realized?
what now?
Information is power, but it’s just the first step in changing bad habits.
Action is the real way to put your know-how into motion. Use these ideas to transform your learnings into practice.
Actions for Parents
Download: Family Media Agreement – Common Sense Media
Attend: Next Tech-Free Family Night
Try: 3 conversation starters this week
>> ASK YOURSELF: Am I modeling the kind of screen use I want my kids to follow?
Actions for Kids + Teens
Participate: 7 Nights Phone-Free Challenge
Try: Post 1 positive comment with #LookUpOshkosh
>> ASK YOURSELF: Do I feel better or worse after I spend time on my phone?
Make the first move today and take the pledge to go #SMARTsocialOshkosh.