Movie Machine: Easy Way to Limit Kids TV Time

Movie Machine is a free resource for parents to limit TV time and teach kids that streaming services cost money.

• You can use Movie Machine here

Streaming services make it difficult to limit TV time. Shows are a button-click away.

Plus it’s difficult to explain that Disney+, Netflix, and Prime Video cost money. Children don’t experience the transfer of money for them.

Their shows and films magically come onto the TV whenever they want and it can be confusing to hear why you may not pay for a subscription.

Movie Machine helps parents limit TV time by associating a cost to watching a film: the child must put a coin into the machine to release the movie.

You can control what movie is displayed and where the ‘Play’ button goes in the settings:

• Find an image of the movie online and copy the image URL
• Enter the link to where you want the play button to go
  • TIP – this can just be the IMDB page. It just needs to look like the film is about to play. Then you can start playing it on the TV.

Can Movie Machine work on the TV?

Some smart TVs may allow you to navigate to the web and load Movie Machine. Alternative approaches are to mirror your laptop or phone to the TV. Or, get creative and distract the child whilst you quickly put it on the TV after they’ve done the movie machine.

Why did I make Movie Machine?

I wanted to limit TV time without it being a parent-imposed measure. My son would cry and fight a lot when I turned off the TV. So, I created Movie Machine to teach the concept that watching a movie costs money – and that it’s the Movie Machine, not me, turning it off! (Just pretending).

I was surprised how well it worked. My son started to proactively ask for chores to earn coins which could be used for the Movie Machine. Washing up, sweeping leaves, taking the bins out.

Movie Machine had a second unexpected benefit: movie weaning. My son loves to watch the same film dozens of times and does not, at first, enjoy watching new films. Oh no! The movie machine has changed what film is available – there’s no other choice.

I have made a few games and things like this now, but Movie Machine is still one of my favourites and most used!