Tools from The Invisible Playground

Start with simple, usable materials you can try at home.

Free guides, scripts, and follow-up materials for helping kids build awareness, recovery, judgment, and self-direction across different ages and stages.

The Elementary School Guide

The Elementary School Guide is for helping younger children notice screen pull, stop with less friction, and recover more smoothly after screen use.

It was built for K–5 families, but many of the concepts help older children (and even adults) too.

Inside the guide:

Seven short daily practices
Simple parent scripts
Child-friendly language
A grounded way to talk about attention without shame or panic

Download the Elementary School Guide

7 Day Attention Reset (pdf)Download

Middle School Guide

For parents of kids in grades 5–8.

A short guide for helping middle schoolers understand how apps, games, feeds, group chats, and social media shape attention, mood, belonging, and identity.

Inside the guide:

The four effects of screen life
Parent scripts and questions
Simple language to use at home
A one-page worksheet for spotting the pattern

Download the Middle School Guide

How Hidden Screen Systems Shape Kids (pdf)Download

More tools are in development

High School (Grades 8-12): Coming Soon

For judgment, autonomy, AI, relationships, authorship, reputation, and preparation for adult life.

What parents are saying

“Your 7-day guide is brilliant - clear, targeted, so very actionable.”

- Natalie G.

“It’s such a simple yet highly effective framework.”

- Jonathan R.

“I wish I had this 5 years ago.”

- Aaron K.

“This put words to something I could feel was happening, but could not explain.”

- Andrew C.

“It’s so clear. Once you’ve seen it, you can’t unsee it.”

- Charles B.

“I knew this was going on but could not explain it to my kid.”

Jessica W.

Questions or Feedback

If you watched a talk, I’d love to know what landed. If you’re interested in hosting a parent or student session, send a note here.

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The Invisible Playground: How Hidden Screen Systems Shape Childhood is Gary’s developing book and school-based body of work on screen life, attention, identity, and agency.

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