We Tried Brick: The Little Device Helping Families Become More Intentional With Screen Time

If you’ve been searching for a screen time device for families that goes beyond another app or reminder, Brick is worth a look. It’s a small physical device that blocks distracting apps until you physically tap your phone against it again, creating a pause that helps the whole household, parents included, build healthier phone habits. We tested it as a family, and here’s what we thought.

Most of us know the feeling. You pick up your phone to check one thing, and suddenly ten minutes have disappeared. You open an app without even thinking. You reply to a message, check an email, scroll social media, and before you realise it you have been pulled away from the moment you were actually in.

As parents, the conversation around screen time often focuses on our children, but the reality is many adults are navigating the exact same challenge. Our phones have become calendars, cameras, communication tools, entertainment devices and workspaces. The problem is not that we use them. The challenge is learning how to put boundaries around that use.

That is where Brick caught our attention.

What Is Brick? A Screen Time Device for Families

Brick is a small physical device designed to help people create more intentional relationships with their phones. Instead of simply relying on willpower or another screen-time reminder you can easily ignore, Brick adds something different, a physical action. You choose the apps or websites you want to limit through the Brick app, tap your phone against the device, and your selected restrictions activate. When you are ready to access those apps again, you physically return to Brick and tap your phone.

It sounds simple, but that is actually the point. Brick creates a pause between habit and action.

Why A Physical Device Makes A Difference

Most of us have tried some version of digital boundaries before. Turning off notifications, setting app limits or promising ourselves we will not scroll before bed. The challenge is that when the restriction exists only on the phone, the solution is usually on the phone too. Brick changes that by adding a physical barrier. When your phone is “Bricked”, accessing those apps again becomes an intentional choice. You have to get up, go back to the device and make the decision. That small interruption is often enough to break the automatic habit loop.

Putting Brick To The Family Test

One of the first things we wanted to understand was how this screen time device for families would work in a busy household where there is rarely just one device involved. Between parents, teens, work phones, tablets and different schedules, screen boundaries are usually a family conversation rather than an individual one.

The great thing is that you do not need a separate Brick for every person. Multiple devices can connect to one Brick, with each person simply downloading the Brick app and creating their own login. Each family member can then tap on and tap off independently, using the same Brick device in a way that works for them.

For one person, that might mean blocking social media during work hours. For another, it could mean limiting distractions during homework time. For parents, it might simply mean creating a phone-free dinner, bedtime routine or family window where everyone is more present.

Creating Better Habits Without Removing Technology Completely

One thing we appreciated about Brick is that it is not about saying phones are bad. Technology is part of modern family life.

Our kids use devices for learning. Parents use phones to manage households, work, appointments and connection. The goal of a good screen time device for families is not necessarily removing technology completely, it is becoming more aware of how and when we use it.

Brick allows you to create different modes for different parts of your day, such as work, study or family time. You choose what stays available and what gets paused.

A Tool For Parents Too

While many parents are searching for ways to support healthier screen habits for their children, Brick is also a reminder that modelling matters.

Children notice when we are distracted or when we are half-listening while looking at a phone. They also notice when we make intentional choices to switch off and be present.

Sometimes the biggest changes do not come from strict rules, but from creating better systems around the habits we want.

Our Thoughts

What we liked most about Brick was how simple the concept is. It does not try to make you feel guilty for using your phone. It simply creates a moment where you have to ask, “Do I actually want to open this right now?”

And sometimes that tiny pause is all we need. For families looking to create healthier boundaries around technology, study, work or quality time together, this screen time device for families is a clever reminder that being more connected sometimes starts with disconnecting.

Brick retails for $92 AUD and is available at www.getbrick.com

Disclaimer: Parenthood360 was gifted Brick for the purpose of review. All opinions are our own. This article is intended as general information only. Every family approaches technology and screen-time boundaries differently, and we encourage parents to choose solutions that work best for their individual household.