Common Sense Media and Aura Parents Release "Summer Survival Guide" for Families
SAN FRANCISCO, June 16, 2026—Common Sense Media and Aura Parents today released their Summer Survival Guide, giving families eight weeks of expert-picked entertainment recommendations, new research on kids' summer screen habits, and practical tools for smarter summer downtime.
School is out and screen time is up by three to four hours a day. Common Sense Media and Aura Parents built the Summer Survival Guide to help families make summer downtime a little smarter, with eight weeks of expert-picked books, shows, movies, and podcasts to keep kids curious, entertained, and learning just enough during the summer months.
"When school ends, the day opens up. That usually means more downtime, more 'I'm bored,' and, yes, more screens," said Common Sense Media Founder and CEO James P. Steyer. "Common Sense Media and Aura Parents built the Summer Survival Guide so families can make that time more intentional. Every Sunday for eight weeks, we'll add a fresh set of expert-picked books, shows, movies, and podcasts to the Common Sense Media app, along with smart screen-time ideas and tips and tools designed for summer's looser routines. This practical, parent-friendly guide is an easy way to keep kids curious, entertained, and learning while still leaving room for boredom, bike rides, and whatever they're building out of couch cushions."
Aura Parents' data shows that summer is the season when kids' digital well-being slips the most. Alongside screen-time spikes from June to August, Aura Parents observes that approximately one in three children age 8 to 17 fall out of the healthy range of Aura's Digital Wellbeing Index, with scores linked to negative changes in mood, stress, and sleep.
"When every day looks like Saturday, it's easy for kids to develop unbalanced relationships with their devices," said Hari Ravichandran, founder and CEO of Aura. "But when we asked kids themselves, more than half of them recognized that too much screen time isn't good for them and shared that they're looking forward to spending the summer break outside with friends. With this Summer Survival Guide, Aura Parents and Common Sense Media aim to provide parents with practical resources designed to make offline summer activities easier to adopt and more appealing for kids."
On June 17, beginning at 4 p.m. PT / 7 p.m. ET, Common Sense Media and Aura Parents will co-host a live webinar, "Summer Survival Guide: Balancing Screens and Skills for a Fun-Filled Break," timed to the first week of the campaign. The session will bring together Aura Parents' device-level usage data with Common Sense Media's developmental expertise to give parents a clear, actionable picture of what summer screen time looks like and what they can do about it. Parents and caregivers interested in attending can sign up at commonsensemedia.org/summer-survival-webinar.
In addition to the Summer Survival Guide and webinar for families, Common Sense Media and Aura Parents have worked together to launch a free "'90s Summer" quiz that gives parents screen-free summer ideas tailored to the kinds of activities their kids enjoy on screens, to help families get back to unplugged, imaginative play.
Common Sense Media and Aura Parents' ongoing collaboration unites the nonprofit's decades of leadership on youth well-being in the digital age with the company's data-driven insights and expertise in keeping families safe online. Earlier this year, Aura Parents co-produced the Digital Parenthood program track at the third annual Common Sense Summit on Kids and Families.
About Common Sense Media
Common Sense Media is the leading nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of kids and families by providing the research-backed information, education, and independent voice they need to thrive in the age of apps, algorithms, and AI. We rate, educate, and advocate to protect and prepare kids online. Our ratings, research, and resources reach more than 150 million users globally, over 1.4 million educators, and more than 100,000 schools worldwide every year. Learn more at commonsense.org.
About Aura
Aura is an award-winning online safety solution for individuals and families. Whether you're protecting yourself, your kids, or your aging loved ones, Aura meets your needs at every stage of life. From real-time threat detection and scam alerts to tools that help parents protect their kids from predators, cyberbullying, and tech-driven mental health risks, Aura empowers families to thrive in the digital world. Learn more at www.aura.com.