Screens figure prominently in modern life. According to the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP), children ages 8 to 18 now spend 7.5 hours per day watching or using screens. Although screens are not inherently bad and are often used effectively in academic settings, excessive screen use has been linked to many negative side effects, particularly for school-aged children.

The United States Department of Health & Human Services notes that early screen exposure has been linked to poorer language outcomes, while school-aged children may be at greater risk of physical health challenges and poor educational outcomes. Screen time among school-aged children has also been associated with sleep problems and poor dietary habits, and studies have linked higher screen time among adolescents to mental health issues, including anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, and body image concerns.
 

The ubiquity of screens makes it unlikely that parents can keep their kids away from them until they reach adulthood. But parents looking to protect their children from excessive screen time can keep these age-based screen time recommendations from the AACAP in mind.

  • Prior to 18 months of age:
    Limit screen use to supervised video chatting with an adult, such as a grandparent or relative.   
  • 18 to 24 months old:
    Screen time should be with an adult and limited to educational programming.
  • Ages 2 to 5:
    Limit non-educational screen time to about one hour per weekday and three hours on weekend days.
  • Ages 6 and older:
    Parents of children 6 and older are encouraged to foster healthy habits and limit screen-based activities. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) notes that school-aged children use screen media for various activities, including school. Kids also use screens to build social connections, which should not be overlooked. This is why the AAP recommends that parents consider the quality of interactions with digital media rather than focusing exclusively on how much time kids 6 and older spend on screens.  

In addition to these age-based recommendations, the AAP advises parents to turn off all screens during family meals and outings and to resist the temptation to use screens to pacify children or keep them occupied while parents are busy. Screens should also be turned off and removed from bedrooms 30 to 60 minutes before bedtime.

Parents can work with their children’s pediatricians to determine helpful screen-time guidelines and visit aacap.org and aap.org for more information on kids and screen time.