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Are you a parent trying to navigate raising children in a digital world? You want your child to navigate through technology, but you would like to minimise the negative effects? How do you balance this? This post will help you understand healthy screen time use and how to support your child’s development.
What is Screen Time and What are the Recommendations?
Screen time refers to the total amount of time a child spends using or watching a screen each day. This includes phones, tablets, laptops, computers, televisions, and handheld gaming devices.
The World Health Organization (2019) recommends:
- Under 1 year: No screen time. Short video calls with family, especially when loved ones live far away, are acceptable in small amounts.
- Ages 2–4 years: No more than 1 hour per day, and less is better. For children 18–24 months, slow-paced, simple, predictable shows are recommended if screens are introduced.
- While no specific guidelines are proposed for children 5 years and older this should be managed with clear boundaries.
As a rule of thumb I always suggest that parents should have no more total screen time than if you add a zero next to your child’s age. Therefore, a child of 6 years should have a maximum of 60 minutes of screen time per day (remember screen time inclused TV, cell phone, tablet etc) .
Why are these recommendations in place?
The American Academy of Pediatrics (2016) highlights that the brains of children under 18 months are developing extremely rapidly. At this stage, children learn best through real-life interactions that include sensory exploration, movement, eye contact, and shared play. Screen time reduces these essential experiences and may contribute to sensory overstimulation.
Overstimulation occurs when a child receives more sensory input than their brain can process. Screens often deliver fast, intense, and unpredictable visual and auditory information, placing the nervous system in a heightened state.
Signs of overstimulation may include:
- Reduced attention
- Emotional outbursts
- Irritability or hyperactivity
- Difficulty calming down
- Trouble transitioning away from the screen
The following types of content are most likely to negatively impact attention and sensory regulation:
- Fast-moving images, flashing lights, and quick scene changes
Loud, unexpected, or unfamiliar sounds - Content that encourages passive watching rather than active engagement
Guidelines for healthy screen time.
As a parent, it’s important to pick your battles. Sometimes screens are part of daily life and that’s okay. The goal is not perfection, but balance.
During Screen Time
- Choose interactive or educational content rather than passive viewing.
- Favour programs with natural colours, lighting, and sounds (e.g., National Geographic, simple documentaries).
- Co-view when possible to support interaction and learning.
- Reduce background noise — keep the TV off when not actively watching.
- Be mindful of the volume and intensity of sounds.
Outside of Screen Time
- Offer fun alternatives when your child asks for a device: baking, water play, outdoor play, obstacle courses, or board games.
- Create tech-free moments such as family meals or evening routines, keeping devices in another room.
- Include a sensory-rich activity before and after screen time — jumping on the trampoline, playing outside, or movement games help regulate the nervous system.
Supporting healthy screen habits is not about removing screens entirely, but about creating balance. When children have opportunities for active play, social interaction, exploration, and rest, their sensory, emotional, and cognitive systems develop more naturally. By following age-appropriate screen guidelines and modelling mindful use at home and school, caregivers can help children build healthier routines, stronger self-regulation, and more meaningful real-world engagement. If concerns about attention, behaviour, or sensory regulation continue despite these strategies, an occupational therapist can offer further individualised support.
Written by:
Ashley Brecher
References
American Academy of Pediatrics. (2016). Media and young minds. Pediatrics, 138(5), e20162591. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2016-2591
American Academy of Pediatrics. (2016). Media use in school-aged children and adolescents. Pediatrics, 138(5), e20162592. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2016-2592
World Health Organization. (2019). Guidelines on physical activity, sedentary behaviour and sleep for children under 5 years of age.
Canadian Paediatric Society. (2017). Screen time and young children: Promoting health and development in a digital world. Paediatrics & Child Health, 22(8), 461–468.
