The Real-Life Question / Situation

It started with the question every parent eventually asks:

“When should I give my child a phone?”

In our neighborhood, that question came up everywhere — at the parks, on the sidelines, at pick-up, and while our kids played. No one wanted to hand over a smartphone too soon. But no one wants their child to be left behind. 

The pressure was real. Kids in fourth and fifth grade already had phones. Parents felt torn between connection and protection, unsure how to balance these competing interests. 

We felt it too — and decided to do something about it.

The PlayFree Perspective

PlayFree began in Applewood, Colorado, as a grassroots, community-funded passion project — built by two parents who believed in the best parts of childhood. 

As a family therapist and an educational psychologist and technologist (our actual full-time jobs), we saw firsthand how early smartphone use forever alters the landscape of childhood. Research shows that smartphone use before the age of 15 is often at the detriment to a child’s wellbeing: heightened anxiety and depression, compromised sleep and creative deep imaginative play, premature exposure to uncensored and complex content, and fewer and more shallow friendships. The greatest irony: Whereas the smartphone seemingly promised connection, those with them often feel more lonely and less connected. (1)

1. Boer et al. (2019); Kaur et al. (2020); Lemola et al. (2015); Levenson et al. (2017); Peter and Valkenburg (2016); Rosen (2012); Twenge and Campbell (2018); Twenge et al. (2019); and Twenge et al. (2023).

Smartphones present adult-level cognitive, emotional, and social burdens on children long before their brains are equipped to manage them. Through persuasive design, algorithmic hooks, 24/7 connectivity, and relentless social feedback loops, kids must navigate addiction-like temptations, incessant social comparison, and constant digital reactivity. Yet the neural systems (i.e., their brain’s development and ability at the age when many smartphones are introduced) underlying  self-regulation, decision-making, impulse control, and perspective-taking are still under construction and won’t be mature-enough until  well into their teen years — this means children are being asked to healthily operate well beyond their years Casey et al., (2019); Casey & Jones, (2010/2014). 

We knew parents needed more than research. They needed support, solidarity, and a sign — literally.

So we started PlayFree.

PlayFree exists to make waiting easier, together. 

And we actually lean into technology - in a structured way - to make waiting progressively easier. It’s not about saying “No to all”, and instead about making smart decisions that bring out the best in technology while keeping out the bad for as long as possible. 

It’s a simple, visible movement that helps families delay smartphones, protect play, and build connection in their communities. One small sign says a lot: “Childhood matters here.”

When parents see PlayFree, they know they’re not alone. When kids see PlayFree, they know it’s okay to unplug — and that other kids are doing it too.

At our core, we believe technology should be developmentally appropriate, used thoughtfully, and introduced at the right pace. We believe raising children should never feel like a solo mission — and that real change happens when families and neighbors stand together.

Remember 90s summers? Bikes on lawns, sprinklers in the yard, kids running until dark. We’re not trying to go backward — we’re bringing that freedom forward into a modern, connected world.

Try This at Home

Try This Tonight:
Share a story from your own childhood. Tell your child what you did for fun before phones, and ask what they love doing most when screens are off.

Or, invest a fraction of the money you’d otherwise spend on a cell phone plan and purchase age appropriate, family board games that introduce competition, strategy, and challenge. Consider Sleeping Queens (1 and/or 2) for your 2nd graders, Ticket to Ride for older kiddos, and Carcassonne for bigger kids. 

Practice for the Week:
Place a PlayFree sign in your yard or window. It’s one small, visible step that shows your family’s values — and invites your community to join you.

Neighborhood Connection Idea:
Exchange PlayFree tokens or notes between families to invite kids to screen-free playdates. It’s a simple, hands-on way to make connection easy again.

The Bigger Picture

PlayFree started with a walk through the neighborhood — and a big idea: that parents could reclaim childhood together.

Every sign placed, every conversation started, and every parent who says “not yet” adds strength to this movement. One yard at a time, we’re changing what “normal” looks like for the next generation — helping kids grow up confident, connected, and free to play.

PlayFree is more than a company. It’s a community — powered by families, neighbors, and schools who believe that childhood comes first.

We’re so glad you’re here.

References

Boer, M., Stevens, G. W. J. M., Finkenauer, C., de Looze, M. E., & van den Eijnden, R. J. J. M. (2020). Social media use intensity, social media use problems, and mental health among adolescents: Investigating directionality and the role of peer norms. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 49(11), 2389–2404. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-020-01390-9

Casey, B. J., & Jones, R. M. (2010). Neurobiology of the adolescent brain and behavior: Implications for substance use disorders. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 49(12), 1189–1201

Casey, B. J., Jones, R. M., & Hare, T. A. (2014). The adolescent brain. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 1124, 111–126.

Casey, B. J., Tottenham, N., Liston, C., & Durston, S. (2019). Imaging the developing brain: What have we learned about cognitive development? Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 13(3), 104–110. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tics.2008.11.005

Kaur, P., Dhir, A., Chen, S., & Rajala, R. (2020). Adolescent pornography consumption: The roles of peer influence, parental monitoring, and media literacy. Telematics and Informatics, 46, 101319. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tele.2019.101319

Lemola, S., Perkinson-Gloor, N., Brand, S., Dewald-Kaufmann, J. F., & Grob, A. (2015). Adolescents’ electronic media use at night, sleep disturbance, and depressive symptoms in the smartphone age. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 44(2), 405–418. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-014-0176-x

Levenson, J. C., Shensa, A., Sidani, J. E., Colditz, J. B., & Primack, B. A. (2017). The association between social media use and sleep disturbance among young adults. Preventive Medicine, 85, 36–41. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ypmed.2016.11.013

Peter, J., & Valkenburg, P. M. (2016). Adolescents and pornography: A review of 20 years of research. The Journal of Sex Research, 53(4–5), 509–531. https://doi.org/10.1080/00224499.2016.1143441

Twenge, J. M., & Campbell, W. K. (2018). Associations between screen time and lower psychological well-being among children and adolescents: Evidence from a population-based study. Preventive Medicine Reports, 12, 271–283. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pmedr.2018.10.003

Twenge, J. M., Haidt, J., Joiner, T. E., & Campbell, W. K. (2023). Age, period, and cohort trends in mood disorder indicators and suicide-related outcomes in a nationally representative dataset, 2005–2019. Journal of Adolescence, 94, 1–14. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.adolescence.2021.11.003