Picture your morning routine: How many minutes (or seconds) do you make it into the day before picking up your smartphone or opening your laptop?
Most of us use screens for nearly every aspect of our lives. In a recent survey by Pew Research Center- Opens in a new window, more than 40% of U.S. adults described their internet use as “almost constant.”
Now, think of your kids: Many have never known a reality without screens. Even babies seem to be born with a built-in knowledge of how to navigate a smartphone. But research shows us just how important it is to monitor kids’ interactions with media to ensure their brains and bodies have proper time and space to develop.
While completely avoiding screens is nearly impossible in modern society, establishing healthy boundaries and routines around screen and media use will ensure your child can thrive as they grow.
What is ‘screen time’ according to pediatricians?
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP- Opens in a new window) defines screen time as any time spent watching screens, including smartphones, tablets, gaming consoles, TVs, and computers.
It’s also important to acknowledge that some types of screen time may have stronger educational or social value than others. (I.e., co-viewing a nature documentary or having a video call with your child’s grandparent.)
“Technology has advanced our lives in so many wonderful ways,” says Anya Griffin, PhD, Director of Psychology at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. “Establishing healthy screen habits is about creating balance while respecting that technology is always going to be part of our lives.”
Understanding the 5 Cs of Media Usage
Some may be asking, “What happened to the two-hour rule?”
In 2026, the AAP released new screen time guidelines that move away from previous time-specific recommendations and adopt a more individualized approach. Parents are encouraged to use a framework called the 5 Cs to determine how screen time is adding value to or hindering a child’s development.
Generally, here are the questions to ask:
- Child: Who is your child, how do they react to media, and what are their motivations for using media?
- Content: What is worth their attention?
- Calm: How do they calm their emotions or go to sleep?
- Crowding Out: What does media get in the way of?
- Communication: How can you talk about media to raise a media savvy, responsible child?
Screen time recommendations by age
Parents may still want to know, how much is too much?
“There isn’t a consistent answer to say exactly what the right amount is,” Dr. Griffin says, “But after 30 minutes, it’s probably time to take a break.”
“Children and teens have rapidly developing brains that need lots of different activities,” she adds, “There’s also a risk of digital eye strain with excessive screen use. And if a child is engaged in more than two or three hours of screen time per day, we may see an impact on mood and stress levels.”
Infants (0-18 months):
- Occasional supervised video chats with family/friends.
- Avoid leaving the TV on or using your phone around your baby.
Babies (18-24 months):
- Supervised video chats with family/friends and occasional high-quality educational content.
- Avoid fast-paced or violent content.
- Turn off in-app purchases and “autoplay;” set up parental controls.
Toddlers (2-5 years):
- Encourage high-quality educational content and co-view new material.
- Ask questions to encourage engagement about what they’re seeing to develop understanding.
Elementary-Age Children (5-12 years):
- Creative/educational content promoting healthy interactions, with periodic co-viewing.
- Develop family plan on healthy media limits; monitor device usage.
- Make sure screen time does not affect sleep, exercise, and family time.
Teens (13-18 years):
- Creative/educational content promoting healthy interactions, and co-view new material.
- Monitor social media exposure and online activities to protect them from potential risks.
- Encourage frequent screen breaks.
- Set up screen-free zones (dinner table, bed); prioritize physical activity.
How does too much screen time affect behavior in children?
Excessive screen time can have longer-term impacts on a child’s development. Infants and young children who consume a lot of media may score lower on memory, reading, and ability tests once they reach school age.
The most common problems CHLA pediatricians see when kids are engaging in too much screen time:
- Disrupted sleep
- Frequent irritability
- Attention challenges
- Eye discomfort, fatigue, dryness, loss of focus, and nearsightedness
- Less pretend and creative play
- Less emotional expression
- Higher rates of depression and anxiety in older kids and teenagers
“From a clinical perspective, our focus is less on a fixed amount of screen time and more on the function of that screen time,” Dr. Griffin explains.
“If a teen is sleeping well, their academic performance is solid, they’re maintaining positive relationships, and they’re staying active, the effects of screen time on their health might be different from a teen whose screen use is interfering with all the other aspects of their life.”
Modeling healthy screen habits
“Adults are the first teachers,” says Dr. Griffin, challenging parents to start by conducting a screen-time self-assessment. “If our own screen use is excessive, we’re modeling that for our kids.”
Modeling healthy screen habits is similar to maintaining a healthy diet; it’s easier for your child to understand why they need to balance sweets with nutrient-rich vegetables if you demonstrate your own decision making around food.
Dr. Griffin explains that screen-time boundaries work best when the whole family collaborates on a media-use plan: “Having these conversations together will help your child grow into a responsible digital citizen who understands how to balance life and other interests.”
The importance of social interactions
For children of all ages, one-to-one and group-based peer interactions are essential for strong social, emotional, physical, and neurocognitive development.
Marian Williams, PhD, Director of the Stein Tikun Olam Early Connections Program, emphasizes that young children especially need ‘back-and-forth’ interactions—responsive face-to-face engagements with their caregivers—to develop their social and language skills.
Dr. Williams suggests that it’s often the subtler times when screens have the most impact. For example, a parent and child are riding the bus together: “This could be an ideal time for unstructured interaction that builds language, such as talking about what they are seeing outside the window,” she says.
When both the child and the parent are using screens, Dr. Williams explains that children miss out on the opportunity to learn about what’s happening in their community, have their parent’s attention, and practice “serve-and-return interactions.”
Screen-free activities
Focus on providing time and space for activities that help promote emotional regulation, socialization, and creative problem solving.
Prioritize interaction for infants and toddlers.
- Playing peek-a-boo
- Making sounds back and forth (and pausing to give the child a chance for a “turn”)
- Singing songs with movements or gestures
Encourage school-age kids to engage in fun physical activities and hobbies.
- Reading
- Drawing
- Dancing to music
- Playing outside with friends or siblings
- Playing a sport
Make ‘screen-free time’ a family affair.
This is one of the most effective ways to get kids on board with screen-free play.
Try designating screen-free times of the week or screen-free zones within your home (like the dinner table) that the whole family abides by. Building intentional spaces to enjoy alternative activities together will contribute to healthy rituals and rhythms for your entire household.
Turn screens off before bed.
Consider turning screens off an hour before bed and removing phones, tablets, computers, TVs, and any other electronics from your child’s bedroom at night. The light from screens can trick the brain into thinking it’s time to wake up.
What if I still feel guilty about my child’s screen time?
Ultimately, it’s important to remember that establishing positive screen-time habits isn’t about demonizing all media use. Media use can be a healthy and educational part of our daily routines.
In our screen-obsessed world, Dr. Griffin assures parents that even professionals struggle to maintain “perfect” screen-time boundaries with their children.
“The real problem arises when we develop a habit of excessive screen use, then those habits become second nature,” explains Dr. Griffin. “Parents shouldn’t be too hard on themselves, but considering their child’s needs and working to create standards for how their family approaches screen time can make a big impact.”
Where to find age-appropriate media
- Common Sense Media- Opens in a new window, a nonprofit platform with more than 45,000 age-based media ratings and reviews from independent experts
- Public television stations and media (like PBS Kids and Sesame Workshop)
- Your local library
- International Children’s Digital Library
