Age-appropriate screen time guidelines

WHO themes: no screen time for infants under 1; for 2-year-olds, no more than 1 hour daily (less is better). AAP themes: avoid digital media except video chatting for children under 18-24 months.

These years involve extraordinary brain development. Babies learn through serve-and-return interaction, multi-sensory play and responsive caregivers, not two-dimensional screens (the “video deficit effect”).

• Prioritise face-to-face talk, outdoor time and hands-on toys
• If screens are already in use, reduce gradually rather than panicking
• Protect sleep and avoid screens as the default soother

WHO and AAP guidance typically points to roughly one hour daily of high-quality programming, with co-viewing encouraged. Preschoolers are building self-regulation and imagination, skills that screens can crowd out.

• Choose slow-paced, age-appropriate educational content
• Watch together; pause to talk about what you see
• Connect shows to real-world play (cook after a cooking programme)
• Use visual timers so endings feel predictable

Guidelines for school-age children emphasise consistent limits so screens do not displace sleep, physical activity or learning. Where screens live can matter as much as how long they are on. UK Parliament-linked research has highlighted bedroom screens and sleep problems.

• Homework and chores before recreational screen time
• Family charging stations; devices sleep outside bedrooms
• Encourage sports, music, art and reading as everyday defaults
• Start conversations about how apps are designed to hold attention

Pre-teens need digital literacy and family media agreements more than stopwatch parenting alone. Sleep (9-12 hours) remains critical; late-night phone use is a common friction point.

• Involve them in writing family media agreements
• Keep device-free family times that adults follow too
• Talk about social media, peer pressure and digital citizenship
• Model the balanced use you want them to copy