FAQ
Questions parents actually ask
The short version: it runs on your computer, we never see your kid's info, and yes, Grandma can play too.
What is Playtime?
Playtime is a tiny morning helper for tired parents. Each night it generates one fresh, printable activity tuned to your kid (or kids). You print it. You slide it onto the breakfast table. They light up. That's the whole thing.
How do you get my kid's information? Is anything sent to your servers?
No. Playtime is a Claude Code plugin, which means it runs entirely on your own computer. Your kid's name, age, interests, and the activities you generate all live in a folder on your machine at ~/.playtime/. We never see any of it. There is no Playtime account, no Playtime login, no Playtime backend collecting data. Even photos you choose to attach to feedback stay on your machine.
If it's free and you don't collect data, how does this exist?
Two ways. One, it's a passion project built by a parent (hi, I'm Julian) who wanted this for his own kids. Two, when an activity calls for supplies (markers, googly eyes, kid-safe scissors), we sometimes link to Amazon search results. If you buy something through one of those links, Amazon pays us a small commission. That's it.
Wait, you do affiliate links? Are you pushing products?
Nope, and we made a specific choice here. We use Amazon search URLs, not specific product links. So instead of saying "buy this exact brand of safety scissors," we link to a search like "kid safety scissors blunt tip" and you pick. That means we don't get paid more for steering you toward one brand over another. We just earn a few cents if you buy any of the matching options. Activities are picked first; the supply link is a footnote, never the driver. Full disclosure on our affiliate page.
Do I need a printer?
Yes. Playtime is built around the printable. Mornings are better with crayons than tablets, and a printable can be folded, colored, taped to the fridge, or sent to Grandma. A black-and-white laser printer is fine. Color is nice but not required — every packet is designed to read well in B&W.
Does my kid look at a screen?
Not for the activity itself. The whole point is to put a piece of paper on the table and let them go. The screen happens at your computer the night before, when you generate the packet.
What ages does it work for?
Roughly 6 months to 12 years. We track age in months for kids under 3 because every month genuinely matters at that age. For babies, packets are mostly sensory invitations and songs you read aloud. For older kids, they get into mad libs, mazes, ciphers, comic strips, mini cooking projects, and choose-your-own adventures.
What if I have multiple kids?
Each kid gets their own packet, tuned to their age and interests. If you have a 6-month-old and a 4-year-old, you'll get two different printables for the same morning, often loosely connected by theme so the activity moments rhyme.
Can grandparents or far-away family use this?
Yes, and we built a specific mode for it. Run /playtime:generate-playtime videocall and Playtime makes two paired packets for the same call: one for your kid, one for Grandma. They are designed to be done together live over video — turn-taking, show-and-tell, mirror drawings, story tag, "stuffie meets stuffie." Grandma's printable is written for the adult, with stage directions on how to scaffold the moment. If she does not have a printer, we also output a plain-text version she can read off her phone.
What about playdates? Other kids coming over?
Run /playtime:generate-playtime playdate and tell us who's coming. Playtime generates packets for the visiting kids too, with a shared theme so all the kids can play together (one big scavenger hunt, paired pirate roles, a parade craft with separate kid-sized parts). The visiting parent gets a personalized packet for their kid as a takeaway.
Can I generate the whole week at once?
Yes. Run /playtime:generate-playtime week and we will plan a 7-day arc under one theme, with rhythm across the days (easier on Monday, bigger crafts on Friday, etc.). You can print it all in one Sunday-night batch.
What if my kid doesn't like an activity?
Tell us. Each morning when you generate the next packet, we ask how yesterday's landed (loved, fine, didn't land, didn't get to it). Over time, Playtime learns what works for this specific kid and shifts toward more of it. Activities and characters that don't land quietly retire. Beloved characters resurface on a curve, so they feel like familiar friends without becoming wallpaper.
What if I don't have certain craft supplies?
During setup, we ask what you actually have in the house. Playtime will not suggest a craft that needs glue if you said you have no glue. If a beloved supply runs out, you can update the list anytime.
Does it work offline?
Once a packet is generated, yes. The HTML files are fully self-contained — fonts, illustrations, everything is inlined — so they print and view fine with no internet. Generating a new packet does need an internet connection (Claude is doing the design work).
Do I need to know how to use a terminal?
Right now, yes. Playtime currently runs as a Claude Code plugin, so you need Claude Code installed and a tiny bit of comfort copying a command. We're slowly turning it into something anyone can use, but the early version is for parents who don't mind a terminal.
How do I delete everything?
Run rm -rf ~/.playtime and it's all gone — packets, profile, photos, history. There is nothing on our side to delete because there is nothing on our side. We think childhood records should be deletable by design.
How do I get it?
Playtime is free and open-source. Head to /install for step-by-step instructions — it takes about 5 minutes and works on Mac or Windows. If you'd rather wait until there's an easier install, email hello@dailyplaytime.com and we'll let you know.
Didn't see your question? Email hello@dailyplaytime.com. Real person, real reply.