These dads know that although playing apps is great fun, parents sometimes struggle when they try to regulate tablet use.

Here the TabTale dads share a few tips for regulating tablet playtime they have found useful in their own families and that you may also find helpful!

1. Set real limitations right from the beginning.

Set rules and limitations ahead of time, when a child is first introduced to playing with a tablet, by engaging a child —don’t wait until kids are completely absorbed while playing.

For a very young child that might just be stating the where and when they might use the tablet.

Do this even for very young children– who understand so much more of what’s being said to them, than what they are able to say back at their young ages.

For a 2-3 year old you might just tell them what you’re going to do, not in a punitive way, but in a fun way:

“Isn’t this fun?! This is the game we’re going to play and this is when we’re going to do it.”

For an older child who is of school age, engage them in the process of making the rules:

“How long do you think you should be able to play on your tablet?”

Then as the parent, express how long you think it should be.

Then ask, “How do we make this work for the both of us?”

Don’t stop until you can both agree.

That’s real problem solving with your children. When a child is engaged in the process, they are much more co-operative with the rules and limit than when parents dictate them.

2. Reinforce by writing the rules down and post them!

(And have them sign)

Then if there is a problem, you can just point to the rule.

It will be clear and logical to the child.

This avoids even getting into the argumentative stage, because you’ve prepared.

3. Punishment 

Taking a tablet away from a kid and using that as a threat, is very detrimental. (Using the tablet as a reward is also detrimental.)

Taking the tablet away as a punishment will feel unfair and infuriate kids.

It will only make them want it more.

They will think, “OH, it can be taken away at any time so I better get on it as much as I can.”

Punishment may stop the unwanted behavior for a short time only, but never teaches self-regulation. Punishment teaches children to avoid being caught.

4. Know Your Child

Certain kids are capable of regulating themselves.

When you’ve got a really well rounded kid, you can leave the amount of screen time up to them.

Otherwise, begin early with agreed on rules and loosen the rules as they get older to see how self-regulated they are.

It’s easier to eliminate rules than establish new rules after kids are already playing.

If they cannot self-regulate, stick with the rules, re-evaluating them as the child gets older.

We are proud to introduce Pirate Rush! This is TabTale’s first arcade and racing game, and it was all born from the wild imaginings of our “first matey” and game developer extraordinaire, Ronen.

According to our real life Pirate Rush hero, the inspiration for the game came when a “wee lass” (actually one of the TabTale team’s daughters!) fell in love with an early prototype of a boat racing game. Ronen had just enjoyed watching the classic movie “Hook” and was inspired to combine the game he was working on with a classic tale of Caribbean adventure.

The result is awesome, and we hope that you love it as much as we do. So prepare yourselves TabTalers, there is more adventure ahead!

Download on iTunes today!

Hey TabTalers! We’re excited to share with you our newest app, Happy Ever After, an interactive fantasy puzzle. You can choose from six fantasy worlds inhabited by wizards, unicorns, dragons, fairies, mermaids, and angels! Once you’ve chosen your world, it’s time to start playing! Tap the puzzle pieces to drag them to their matching pair and get ready for a challenge. Each level becomes more challenging! This app has great colors and sounds and will delight young children and promote spatial thinking skills! Get happy with Happy Ever After!

Download Happy Ever After for free on Amazon, Google Play, or the App Store.

Hey TabTalers!  Meet Ethan, a furry baby blue monster, who’s about to be born into a family with super powers.  Join Ethan on his journey to discover what his own super power is.  This e-book will become an instant family classic.  Kids will love bringing the story to life with all of the interactive touchpoints and embedded games.  Kids can play dress up and solve math problems while reading the story, and if that’s not enough, they can turn to the game center for puzzles, counting exercises, coloring books, matching games, and much more!

You can download the app for free on the App Store today!

Hey TabTalers!

Easter is right around the corner, and you know what the means, the cuddly Easter bunny is on his way!  Dress up your Easter Bunny with our newest app, Easter Bunny Dress Up and Card Maker.  Decorate your Bunny in silly costumes and don’t forget about the Easter eggs!  After dressing up their bunnies, kids can make and decorate an e-card to send to friends and family!  Kids can unleash their creativity while designing their cards and friends will love receiving cute bunnies in their inbox.  Easter has never been so much fun!

Download Easter Bunny Dress Up and Card Maker for free on Google Play or the App Store.

Our latest Crazy Chef adventure is currently #3 in the app store for iPad! There isn’t a kid out there that doesn’t like ice cream, and this app allows you to “make” it yourself, decorate your cones in outrageous and funky ways, and then serve the ice cream from your awesome truck! But you better serve quick, because you want to keep your customers happy.

Ice Cream Truck Maker comes complete with two arcade style games that will keep kids entertained, 18 delicious “flavors” to imagine, 22 different cones and cups, and hundreds of different ways to decorate your creation. We know you and your kids will love it!

You can download the app from the iTunes store today!

This story is guaranteed to resonate with today’s hard-working parents who struggle to find the right balance between work and family, and kids will love learning to read in a fun and interactive way.

Download Busy Dad, Hi-Tech Dude for free in the App Store today and vote for it as the app of the week on iHeartThisApp.

Painting and drawing has never been more fun with this portable coloring book now available on Android devices!  With over 10,000,000 downloads in the app store, Paint Sparkles has been loved by many iOS users and now it’s time to share the love.

In Paint Sparkles, children can choose from a blank canvas or a pre-drawn image to fill in with any colors of their choosing.  Children love the vibrant colors and fun sounds in this app and parents love how easy it is to bring this digital coloring book anywhere!  This app is guaranteed to unleash kids’ creative sides and keep them entertained for hours.

Download Paint Sparkles for free on Google Play and the App Store today!

Calling all dog lovers!  In Puppy Dog Sitter, you get the chance to take care of a puppy and learn all about responsibility!

First, choose your pup, and then dress him up however you’d like!  Choose a bow or turn your puppy into a viking, a sailor, or even a frog – the sky is the limit in Puppy Dog Sitter!  Once you’ve dressed your puppy, it’s time to feed him and then take him out back to do his business.  Yes, you’re going to have to clean up after him! Now your pup is ready to go to the beach for a little fun under the sun.  After a fun day out with your little doggy, it’s time to clean him up.  Give him a bath and dry him so that he’s sparkly clean.  This app is loads of fun and kids will love being able to take their puppies with them everywhere they go!

Download Puppy Dog Sitter for free today on the App Store and Google Play.