Resources

The Pumpkin Patch

Practical, science-backed guides for raising capable kids: chores, screen time, money skills, and real family life.

Written by Bridget Bell, Pumpkin founder and mom in Richmond, VA

Everything here started as a question one of us actually had, and most of it is the answer we wish someone had given us at the kitchen table. Where there is research worth citing we cite it, and where Pumpkin does not solve the problem we say so.

Showing all 8 guides

Money

Goals That Aren't Just About Money

Saving up is a great goal - just not the only one. How to set goals for giving, growing, and contributing, from food drives to reading streaks.

August 2026 · 6 min readRead
Money

Teaching Kids Money With the Family Patch Shop

A little household shop where kids earn, choose, save toward a reward, and spend - hands-on money skills, with you approving every redemption.

July 2026 · 7 min readRead
Screen time

Screen Time and Digital Well-Being: A Parent's Guide

Less about how many minutes, more about who's in charge of them. Why limits alone don't work - and how to build real digital well-being.

July 2026 · 6 min readRead
Chores

Age-Appropriate Chores by Age (4-12): A Parent's Chart

A simple chart matching chores to what kids can actually handle at 4-6, 7-9, and 10-12 - plus how to keep the challenge growing as they do.

June 2026 · 7 min readRead
Screen time

How to Turn Screen Time Into Something Kids Earn

Arbitrary limits spark daily arguments. Here's how the earn-expire-bank model turns screen time into a budget kids learn to manage themselves.

April 2026 · 6 min readRead
Money

Chore & Money Apps That Don't Require a Bank Account

Most kids' money apps make you link a bank and order a debit card first. Here's why that excludes families - and what to look for instead.

February 2026 · 6 min readRead
Money

How to Teach Kids Money Skills Without a Debit Card

You don't need plastic to raise a money-smart kid. Concrete methods for earning, saving goals, delayed gratification, and hands-on practice.

December 2025 · 7 min readRead
Co-parenting

Using a Chore App When Kids Split Time Between Homes

Pumpkin runs from one home, not two. Here's how to make it fair for a two-home kid: schedule chores to your custody weeks, and pause the rest.

October 2025 · 6 min readRead

Turn what you just read into a system that sticks

Pumpkin puts chores, habits, and rewards in one place - live on iOS. Start with a 7-day free trial on the annual plan.

No bank account required · No ads, ever · COPPA-compliant