What is the recommended age and type of screentime (screen time) for children that is not harmful to their development?

Screen Time Recommendations for Children

Children under 2 years should have zero screen time (except video chatting), children aged 2-5 years should be limited to ≤1 hour per day, and children aged 5-12 years should have ≤2 hours per day of recreational screen time. 1

Age-Specific Guidelines

Infants (0-2 years)

• No screen time whatsoever for children under 2 years of age 1, 2
• The American Academy of Pediatrics makes an exception only for video chatting with family members 1
• This strict recommendation exists because high levels of screen use in young children are associated with negative developmental consequences 1

Toddlers and Preschoolers (2-5 years)

• Maximum of 1 hour per day of screen time for children aged 2-5 years 1
• The World Health Organization, Canadian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines, and Australian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines have all adopted this same 1-hour limit 1
• For 2-year-olds specifically, limit to <1 hour per day 1

School-Age Children (5-12 years)

• ≤2 hours per day of recreational screen time 1
• This limit should not include time spent on screens for educational purposes 1

Adolescents (13-18 years)

• ≤2 hours per day of recreational screen time 1

Type and Quality of Screen Time That Matters

Content Considerations

• When screen time does occur (for children ≥2 years), content should be educational, age-appropriate, and non-violent 3
• Parents should watch with their children more than half the time to provide context and interaction 4
• The Indian Academy of Pediatrics emphasizes that screen time must be supervised 3

What Screen Time Should NOT Replace

Screen exposure must not displace these critical activities 3:

• Outdoor physical activities
• Adequate sleep duration
• Family and peer interaction
• Studies and skill development
• Interactive floor-based play 1

Evidence on Actual Adherence and Harm

Current Reality vs. Guidelines

• Only 24.7% of children under 2 years actually meet the zero screen time guideline 1
• Only 35.6% of children aged 2-5 years meet the 1-hour daily limit 1
• By 6 months of age, infants are exposed to an average of 1 hour 16 minutes of screens daily, increasing to 2 hours 28 minutes by 24 months 5
• Before the COVID-19 pandemic, children 5 years and younger used screens for approximately 25% of their waking hours 1

Developmental Concerns

• High screen exposure in early childhood is associated with negative developmental consequences 1
• Combined developmental characteristics show a negative correlation with parental screen time (p < 0.001) 6
• Children whose parents use screens more heavily are exposed to significantly more screen time themselves 6

Socioeconomic Disparities

• Children from higher educated families are exposed to 1 hour 43 minutes fewer screens per day compared to lower educated households, with this gap evident as early as 6 months of age 5
• These inequalities persist as children age 5

Critical Implementation Strategies

For Parents

• Parents should monitor their own screen use, as parental screen time directly correlates with children's exposure 6
• Parents with internet-related disorders (measured by CIUS scores) have children who use screens at earlier ages 6
• Create a warm, nurturing, supportive environment that doesn't rely on screens for entertainment or babysitting 3

Environmental Modifications

• Establish screen-free zones (bedrooms, mealtimes) 7
• Maintain consistent sleep schedules, as screen time before bed disrupts sleep patterns 7
• Increase time spent in nature, which shows positive associations with child development (p < 0.001) 6

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

• Parental hypocrisy: Adults spending >2 hours on screens themselves while restricting children creates inconsistency; 66% of adults exceed 2 hours on work days and 88% on non-work days 8
• Using screens as babysitters: Parents commonly cite babysitting as a major reason for media exposure in children under 2 years, which contradicts developmental needs 4
• Background television: Constant background screen noise counts toward total exposure and should be minimized 5
• Assuming educational content negates harm: Even "educational" programming for children under 2 years does not justify screen exposure given the zero-tolerance guideline 2, 3