Screen time: how much is okay for my young child?

Phones, TV and tablets are part of every home now. Many parents use a phone to keep a toddler busy during meals, or a cartoon to settle a child for a few minutes. It is natural to wonder: how much screen time is okay for a young child?

The Indian Academy of Pediatrics (IAP) published guidelines on screen time for children in 2022, and the World Health Organization (WHO) has similar advice for children under 5. This note explains what they say, in simple steps you can try at home.

Under 2 years: no screens

The IAP advises no screen exposure of any kind for children under 2 years. This includes TV, phones, tablets and video calls used as entertainment. The IAP also advises that screens should not be used to feed a child or to calm a crying child.

The WHO gives the same advice: screen time is not recommended for babies under 1 year, or for 1-year-olds. At this age, children learn most from people: faces, voices, songs and play on the floor.

2 to 5 years: up to 1 hour a day, together

For children aged 2 to 5 years, the IAP advises no more than 1 hour a day, in short sessions of about 20 to 30 minutes. The WHO also says no more than 1 hour, and that less is better.

The IAP suggests that a parent or caregiver watches along with the child and talks about what they see. Choose slow, simple programmes made for young children, and use only one screen at a time.

Screen-free times and places

The IAP advises no screens during meals and no screens in the hour before sleep for young children. It also suggests keeping some places in the home free of gadgets, such as the dining area and the bedroom, and having some family time every day when everyone keeps their phones away.

Children copy what they see. When parents put their own phones away at meals and at bedtime, children find these rules much easier to follow.

What children need instead

Young children grow through active play, talk and good sleep. The WHO advises that children aged 1 to 4 years spend at least 3 hours a day being active in different ways, spread through the day. When a child is sitting quietly, the WHO encourages reading and storytelling with a caregiver.

Sleep matters too. The WHO advises 11 to 14 hours of sleep (including naps) for 1 to 2-year-olds, and 10 to 13 hours for 3 to 4-year-olds, with regular sleep and wake times.

What you can do

1. Keep meals screen-free. Sit together, talk and let your child explore the food.
2. Switch off the TV and phones at least 1 hour before bedtime. A bedtime story or a song works well instead.
3. For children aged 2 to 5, keep screen time to 1 hour a day or less, watched together with you.
4. Have a few screen-free places at home, such as the dining area and the bedroom.
5. Keep simple toys within reach: blocks, balls, picture books, crayons and kitchen pots and spoons.
6. Make a small family plan for screens, and follow it yourself too.

When to talk to a doctor

If you are worried about your child's speech, play, sleep or behaviour, or you find it hard to cut down screen time at home, talk to your child's doctor. Routine child check-ups are also a good time to ask about screens and play.