Few parenting topics cause as much worry as screens. The research is still developing, but some clear, practical guidance exists.
What health organisations recommend
- Babies and toddlers: the World Health Organization and the American Academy of Pediatrics advise little or no screen time for the youngest children, apart from video calls with family.
- Ages 2 to 5: about one hour a day of good-quality content, ideally watched together.
- Older children: no single magic number. Experts suggest consistent family limits so screens do not crowd out sleep, activity, homework and time together.
What matters more than minutes
- What they watch or play. Slow, thoughtful content and games that need thinking differ from endless short videos.
- What it replaces. Screens become a problem when they push out sleep, play, reading and conversation.
- When. Screens before bed delay sleep.
- Together or alone. Watching together and talking about it adds learning.
A family media plan
- Screen-free zones: bedrooms and the dinner table.
- Screen-free times: the hour before bed, mealtimes.
- Choose content together and check age ratings.
- Prefer active over passive: creating, solving, moving.
- Be a model: children notice our phone habits.
Signs it's too much
Tantrums when screens end, poor sleep, falling grades, less interest in friends or play. Reset gradually with clear, kind rules.
We designed the Smart Kids Club to fit good screen habits: 5 short puzzles a day (about 5 to 10 minutes), then done, plus a printable weekly sheet for screen-free puzzle time.