The phone runs the timer. The kids do the rest.
Three silly cards, a 5-minute timer, a pile of bricks. Fast Brix! is the screen-free swap that actually works for kids 6–12.
App store links coming soon
A round looks like this
6 screen-free swaps you can run this week
Each one is one round, about 5 minutes. Replace one screen moment per day and you've got a different week.
After-School Round
Backpack down, snack out, one round of Fast Brix! before homework. Resets the brain better than YouTube.
Dinner Prep Distraction
You need 20 minutes to cook. Four rounds, four prompts. Kid is busy, kitchen is yours.
Restaurant Wait
Bring a sandwich bag of bricks. Run one round at the table while the food comes. No tablet propped up.
Sibling Standoff
Same prompt, two builders, no winner. Defuses the 'I'm bored' / 'me too' loop in about 6 minutes.
Weekend Morning
Before the iPad request, deal a card. The earlier the round, the longer screens stay off.
Before-Bed Wind-Down
One quiet round in pajamas. Calmer than a video, faster than a chapter book, and the screen goes away after 5 minutes.
Frequently asked
- Why is Fast Brix! considered screen-free if it uses a phone?
- The phone flips three cards and runs a 5-minute timer. That's it. For the next five minutes the kid's hands are in a pile of bricks, not on a screen. Compare that to handing them an iPad for 30 minutes.
- What are good screen-free activities for a 7-year-old?
- Anything with a clear start, a short finish, and a build/make element. Fast Brix! deals a random prompt (like 'Penguin · Eating · Tacos') and the kid races to build it. Five minutes, hands busy, no scrolling.
- How do I get my kid off the iPad without a meltdown?
- Don't ask them to stop — give them a better thing to do. A 5-minute brick prompt + a silly photo at the end beats most apps on novelty. Run one round and most kids ask for another.
- What do you do with kids who only want screens?
- Start with the easiest possible swap: one round, 5 minutes, weird prompt, photo at the end. Most kids who 'only want screens' are really asking for novelty and a clear feedback loop. A timer + a reveal gives them both.
- How long can kids actually focus on a screen-free game?
- Longer than parents think, if the rounds are short. Fast Brix! intentionally caps a round at 5 minutes — that's well inside any 6–12 year old's attention span, and the natural reset makes them want to go again.
Five minutes off the screen.
Fast Brix! is free. Start with one round.
App store links coming soon
New here? See how to play →