The phone is lit up, the tablet is waiting on the charger, and the TV is one click away. For many parents, the question isn't whether kids use screens, but how much is okay.

Concerns about children's screen use have grown alongside a wave of new research. After extensive consultation with pediatricians and child development experts, WHO and AAP have refined their recommendations — here is a clear, practical breakdown of what the evidence says and how to apply it in everyday life.

What Are the Current Screen Time Guidelines?

The WHO and AAP recommendations apply to leisure time — not screen use in daycare, school, or for homework. They are age-based guidelines, not bans. The goal is to help children and families find a healthy screen balance.

Official sources: The recommendations are based on guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), the World Health Organization (WHO), and the Canadian Paediatric Society. You can find the full guidelines at healthychildren.org and who.int.

Age-Based Screen Time Recommendations

Children Under 2: Avoid Screens

WHO and AAP recommend that children under two years old avoid screens entirely, with the exception of video chatting.

In the earliest years, the brain is developing rapidly. It develops best through social interaction with trusted adults — through play, talking, reading, and singing. This interaction works best without screens.

If your child does use a screen, experts recommend that:

Screen use only happens together with an adult
Content is appropriate for the child's developmental level, educational, and ad-free
Screen use ends at least one hour before bedtime

Advice for you as a parent:

Limit your own screen use when you are with your child
Avoid using screens to comfort or distract your child from negative feelings
Avoid screen use during breastfeeding and bottle feeding
Don't leave screens on in the background

Important about feeding: Experts specifically note that parents should avoid screen use during breastfeeding and bottle feeding. Feeding time is when interaction and eye contact between parent and baby is especially valuable for bonding and development.

Children 2–5 Years: Maximum 30–60 Minutes Daily

Children aged 2 to 5 should limit screen use to a maximum of 30–60 minutes of leisure screen time per day — preferably less.

A practical rule of thumb is to gradually increase the limit with age: no more than 30 minutes for 2-year-olds, up to 1 hour for 5-year-olds.

It is recommended that children in this age group:

Sit with an adult when using a screen
Watch content that is age-appropriate and ad-free
Avoid screens in the last hour before bedtime
Not have phones or tablets in the bedroom

Practical tip: Set fixed "screen times" during the day. It creates predictability for your child and makes it easier to stop when time is up. Many parents use a sand timer or kitchen timer so the child can track the time themselves.

Children 6–12 Years: Maximum 1–1.5 Hours Daily

For children between 6 and 12, the recommendation is a maximum of 1 to 1.5 hours of leisure screen time daily.

The gradual principle applies here too: no more than 1 hour for 6-year-olds, up to 1.5 hours for 12-year-olds. Screen use should be balanced with activities that promote development, health, and well-being.

Specifically for this age group:

Avoid social media (this is explicitly recommended against by AAP)
Parents should limit access to internet-connected devices
Children under 12 should not have unsupervised internet access without parental controls
Carefully consider which features are necessary if your child needs a mobile phone

Teens 13–18 Years: Maximum 1.5–3 Hours Daily

Teens should limit screen time to a maximum of 1.5 to 3 hours of leisure time daily. No more than 1.5 hours for 13-year-olds, up to 3 hours for 18-year-olds.

General Advice for All Ages

Experts are clear that time limits alone are not enough. It is equally important what the screen is used for, and in which situations.

These recommendations apply regardless of age:

Don't use screens as comfort or to distract children from negative feelings
Avoid screens during meals
Don't leave screens on in the background
Avoid screens in the last hour before bedtime
Don't have phones or tablets by the bed
Screen use should not replace physical activity, play, school, meals, or social life

Key reminder: You as a parent are the most important role model. Experts recommend that parents limit their own screen use when they are with their children. Kids learn from what they see.

Parent caring for child in a warm, cozy home

What's New in Recent Updates?

Guidelines have been refined based on growing research. Key updates include:

New guidance on smartphones and internet access: Parents are now explicitly encouraged to limit children's access to internet-connected devices, including smartphones. Children under 12 should not have unsupervised internet access without parental controls.

New guidance on gaming: Guidelines now include a specific section on video games and gaming. It is recommended that children and teens avoid spending money on in-game purchases, as this increases the risk of gaming addiction.

New guidance on feeding: It is specifically noted that adults should avoid screens during breastfeeding and bottle feeding — not just during mealtimes in general.

Why These Limits?

The recommendations are based on research showing that high screen use in children can interfere with:

Sleep: Screen use in the evening, especially in the last hour before bed, disrupts falling asleep and sleep quality
Physical activity: Time in front of a screen is time away from play, movement, and exploration
Social interaction: Screens compete with face-to-face communication, which is crucial for development
Brain development in the youngest: Infants and toddlers need live interaction, not passive entertainment
Mental health: Especially for older children, high screen time and social media use are linked to increased stress and lower self-esteem

From research: A growing body of evidence links heavy social media use in children and adolescents to increased rates of anxiety and depression. The evidence is strongest for girls aged 11–13 and boys aged 14–15. This is one of the key drivers of updated guidance from the AAP and WHO.

Practical Tips for Everyday Life

Knowing the guidelines is one thing — living by them in practice is another. Here are some concrete strategies that work for many families:

Create Your Family's Screen Rules

Make it a conversation, not a one-sided decree. Involve the children (age-appropriately) in making the rules. Fixed screen times create predictability for everyone.

Examples of rules that work well:

No screens during dinner
Screens put away one hour before bedtime
Screens only after homework is done
Screen-free zones in the bedroom

Replace Background Noise with Something Better

Many families have TV or tablets running in the background without anyone watching. Experts recommend avoiding exactly this. Music, children's audiobooks, or simply quiet are better alternatives.

Be a Conscious Role Model

It is hard to enforce screen-free dinners if you yourself are checking your phone between courses. Put your phone in a drawer during the meal — it helps the whole family.

Use Technology Smartly

Parental controls and time limits are built into most devices and browsers. iPhones, Android devices, iPads, and most smart TVs have settings to limit screen time and filter content.

Tip for the youngest: For children under 2, you can easily reduce temptation by not leaving the tablet out on the coffee table. What isn't visible is easier to forget — for both your child and you.

Screens as Reward or Comfort — Avoid It

Experts are clear: don't use screens to comfort or distract your child from negative feelings. It may feel easy in the moment, but it teaches the child that discomfort is relieved by screens. This can create challenges down the road.

Alternatives to screen comfort:

Cuddles and closeness
A walk outside
Reading a book together
Hands-on play — building blocks, drawing, sand

Frequently Asked Questions

Do These Recommendations Apply to Daycare and School?

No. These guidelines apply only to leisure time. Screen use in daycare, school, and for homework does not count. This is an important distinction that differs from older guidelines, which addressed total daily screen time.

What if My Child Already Uses More Than Recommended?

Start where you are — don't demand a drastic change overnight. Reduce gradually, one change at a time. Talk with your child about why, in a way that is appropriate for their age.

Is Some Screen Content Better Than Others?

Yes. Interactive content, where the child actively participates (responds, creates, communicates), is better than passive content where the child just watches. Apps and programs without ads that are age-appropriate and educational are preferable.

My Child Is 2 Years Old and Watches Educational TV. Is That Okay?

Half an hour of quality educational TV daily is within the recommendations for 2-year-olds. Ad-free, age-appropriate programming — both factors highlighted as positive by experts. Try to sit with your child and talk about what you are watching together.

Do the Guidelines Cover FaceTime and Video Calls With Grandparents?

The guidelines are primarily aimed at entertainment and social media use. Video calls with familiar people where the child is actively participating are different from passive screen consumption. Speak with your pediatrician if you are unsure what applies to your specific situation.

Is It Okay to Let the Baby Watch When I'm Watching TV?

Experts recommend not leaving screens on in the background when you are with children under 2. Even if the baby isn't actively "watching," background noise from the TV takes your attention away from interaction with your child.

Remember: The guidelines are recommendations, not requirements. No parent does everything perfectly all the time. The most important thing is awareness and willingness to work in the right direction — not zero mistakes. Contact your pediatrician if you have questions about your specific child.

Caring parent with child in a calm atmosphere

Summary: Screen Time Guidelines

Here are the official age-based recommendations:

Age	Recommended max screen time (leisure)
Under 2 years	Avoid screens (video calls with family OK)
2–5 years	30–60 minutes daily
6–12 years	1–1.5 hours daily
13–18 years	1.5–3 hours daily

Remember these are maximum limits for leisure time — less is better in all age groups.

And most importantly: time in front of a screen is only one part of the picture. What your child watches, who they sit with, and whether screens are stealing time from play, sleep, meals, and togetherness all matter just as much.

Sources

American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). "Media and Young Minds." healthychildren.org
World Health Organization (WHO). "Guidelines on physical activity, sedentary behaviour and sleep for children under 5 years of age." 2019.
Canadian Paediatric Society. "Screen time and young children: Promoting health and development in a digital world." 2017 (updated 2019).
Twenge JM, Campbell WK. "Associations between screen time and lower psychological well-being among children and adolescents." Preventive Medicine Reports. 2018.

Screen Time for Kids: The Latest Guidelines from WHO and AAP