Screen Time Recommendations For Your Child By Age

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Table of Contents

Benefits of Screen Time

Negative Consequences of Too Much Screen Time

Tips to Manage Screen Time

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Screen time is the term used to describe the amount of time someone spends in front of a screen. It includes the time spent using electronic devices such as:

While your child may need screens to do research and complete homework assignments, they may also spend a lot of timeplaying games, using social media, or watching movies, shows, or videos.

American children spend approximately three hours per daywatching television, and their screen time often adds up to around five to seven hours per day.

While screen time can offer some benefits, it can also lead to a lot of negative consequences, particularly if children spend several hours per day using screens.

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These are some of the benefits that electronic devices can offer, viasocial mediaand digital apps, programs, and content:

Via the content they view on screens, children may be exposed to:

Additionally, too much screen time can also cause effects such as:

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It’s important for children to exercise, get enough sleep, spend time with friends and family, and participate in non-screen hobbies,sports, and activities; limiting screen time can help enable this.

While setting limits on screen time, it’s important to consider that all the time your child spends using a screen is not the same. For instance, your child may need to spend some time on the computer every day to do their homework. Therefore, you may choose to limit the time they spend on other screen-related activities such as watchingtelevisionor playing online games.

These are some tips that can help you limit or manage your child’s screen time:

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Regardless of your child’s age, screen time should not replace time they need for sleeping, eating, studying, playing, and spending time with friends and family. With careful guidance, you can promote safe and positive use of screens in your family.

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8 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.MedlinePlus.Screen time and children.Moreno M, Reid Chassiakos Y, Cross C, et al.American Academy of Pediatrics policy statement: Media use in school-aged children and adolescents.Pediatrics. 2016;138(5):e20162592. doi:10.1542/peds.2016-2592American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry.Screen time and children.Parent J, Sanders W, Forehand R.Youth screen time and behavioral health problems: The role of sleep duration and disturbances.J Dev Behav Pediatr. 2016;37(4):277-284. doi:10.1097/DBP.0000000000000272Stiglic N, Viner RM.Effects of screentime on the health and wellbeing of children and adolescents: A systematic review of reviews.BMJ Open. 2019;9(1):e023191. doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2018-023191Twenge JM, Campbell WK.Associations between screen time and lower psychological well-being among children and adolescents: Evidence from a population-based study.Prev Med Rep. 2018;12:271-283. doi:10.1016/j.pmedr.2018.10.003American Academy of Pediatrics.Family media plan.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Screen time vs. lean time infographic.Additional ReadingNemours Foundation.Screen time guidelines for big kids.

8 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.MedlinePlus.Screen time and children.Moreno M, Reid Chassiakos Y, Cross C, et al.American Academy of Pediatrics policy statement: Media use in school-aged children and adolescents.Pediatrics. 2016;138(5):e20162592. doi:10.1542/peds.2016-2592American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry.Screen time and children.Parent J, Sanders W, Forehand R.Youth screen time and behavioral health problems: The role of sleep duration and disturbances.J Dev Behav Pediatr. 2016;37(4):277-284. doi:10.1097/DBP.0000000000000272Stiglic N, Viner RM.Effects of screentime on the health and wellbeing of children and adolescents: A systematic review of reviews.BMJ Open. 2019;9(1):e023191. doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2018-023191Twenge JM, Campbell WK.Associations between screen time and lower psychological well-being among children and adolescents: Evidence from a population-based study.Prev Med Rep. 2018;12:271-283. doi:10.1016/j.pmedr.2018.10.003American Academy of Pediatrics.Family media plan.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Screen time vs. lean time infographic.Additional ReadingNemours Foundation.Screen time guidelines for big kids.

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

MedlinePlus.Screen time and children.Moreno M, Reid Chassiakos Y, Cross C, et al.American Academy of Pediatrics policy statement: Media use in school-aged children and adolescents.Pediatrics. 2016;138(5):e20162592. doi:10.1542/peds.2016-2592American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry.Screen time and children.Parent J, Sanders W, Forehand R.Youth screen time and behavioral health problems: The role of sleep duration and disturbances.J Dev Behav Pediatr. 2016;37(4):277-284. doi:10.1097/DBP.0000000000000272Stiglic N, Viner RM.Effects of screentime on the health and wellbeing of children and adolescents: A systematic review of reviews.BMJ Open. 2019;9(1):e023191. doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2018-023191Twenge JM, Campbell WK.Associations between screen time and lower psychological well-being among children and adolescents: Evidence from a population-based study.Prev Med Rep. 2018;12:271-283. doi:10.1016/j.pmedr.2018.10.003American Academy of Pediatrics.Family media plan.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Screen time vs. lean time infographic.

MedlinePlus.Screen time and children.

Moreno M, Reid Chassiakos Y, Cross C, et al.American Academy of Pediatrics policy statement: Media use in school-aged children and adolescents.Pediatrics. 2016;138(5):e20162592. doi:10.1542/peds.2016-2592

American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry.Screen time and children.

Parent J, Sanders W, Forehand R.Youth screen time and behavioral health problems: The role of sleep duration and disturbances.J Dev Behav Pediatr. 2016;37(4):277-284. doi:10.1097/DBP.0000000000000272

Stiglic N, Viner RM.Effects of screentime on the health and wellbeing of children and adolescents: A systematic review of reviews.BMJ Open. 2019;9(1):e023191. doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2018-023191

Twenge JM, Campbell WK.Associations between screen time and lower psychological well-being among children and adolescents: Evidence from a population-based study.Prev Med Rep. 2018;12:271-283. doi:10.1016/j.pmedr.2018.10.003

American Academy of Pediatrics.Family media plan.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Screen time vs. lean time infographic.

Nemours Foundation.Screen time guidelines for big kids.

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