Babies and young children learn best from experiences and interactions with those around them.
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Screen time - a helpful guide
This page has been designed to help you make informed decisions about using screens and devices in the home with children.
Giving your child access to a tablet or phone is often a way of keeping them busy and happy whilst you get on with other things, but did you know that too much screen time could have an impact on your child's language development?
Positive and healthy screen use is possible with proper guidance and consistency.
What is screen time?
Any time spent interacting with a screen-based device such as TV, smartphone, tablet, games console, computer, laptop, etc.
Screen time can impact...
The more opportunities babies and children get to interact with an interested adult, the more opportunities there are to develop language and communication skills. This development involves observing faces, hearing talk about what is going on around them and taking turns to make sounds and words with an adult. These turn taking interactions form the basis for conversation as children develop.
Tuning into other people at an early age helps children develop attention and social skills.
Too much screen time can limit the amount of interactive time a child has with an adult, and this has an impact on the amount of talk they hear and join in with.
Research suggests that children are not actively able to learn language from a TV until they are around 2½ years old.
What are the risks of too much screen time?
- Less time for direct interactions between you and your child
- Less time for real life learning (e.g. sharing books and play)
- A TV always on in the background can disrupt very young children’s play
- TV moves very quickly – real life has a slower pace which helps children develop their concentration skills. Watching a lot of TV at a young age has been linked to concentration difficulties later in childhood
- Impacts on development in the part of the brain which controls:
- behaviour
- judgement
- attention and concentration
- Delays in speech and language and social skills development
- Irregular sleep routines
- Increased chance of childhood excessive weight gain due to reduced physical activity
Be aware of adult use of technology around young children.
Ask yourself - are you more distracted and less tuned into your child and their needs when focusing on your own phone?
Ideas for safe screen time
It can be difficult to eliminate screen time completely, but here are some tips:
- Set rules e.g. time limits, screen free days. Ensure there are clear limits with young children. Most little children prefer time with their parents, playing, exploring and doing physical activities
- Supervise and share screen time – sit and talk to your child about what they are watching to help them learn and understand. Choose things that you and your child can watch or play together
- Turn off background TV/devices – these can distract children and impact on listening skills even if the sound is low
- Avoid screens before bedtime and try not to use them as a way of settling your child. Read a book together or engage in storytelling instead.
- Set an example and limit your own social screen time
- Turn off screens during family meals and when out and about spending family time together
- Discuss screens for school work and social media use – minimise personal screentime use with healthy boundaries for older children
- Teach children about online privacy and safety
- Learn about and use parental control
The World Health Organisation (WHO) professional network recommendations for screen time are:
For children less than 2 years old – no screen time
For children 2 to 4 years – up to 1 hour of screen time per day
For older children – limit non educational screen time and encourage healthy habits
More and more countries around the world are recognising the impact of screen time on children’s speech and social development, behaviour, and mental health and wellbeing. Professionals are increasingly advising parents to reduce children’s screen time as much as possible.
Is your child:
- Sleeping enough?
- Physically healthy?
- Mentally and emotionally healthy?
- Engaged with school?
- Connecting socially with family and friends, online and offline?
- Enjoying a variety of hobbies and interests?
- Doing physical activity every day?
- Having fun and learning while using screens?
- Using quality content?
If you answer yes to most or all of these questions, your child is probably using digital technology in a balanced way as part of a healthy lifestlye.
Using tech prepares children for the future – so what’s the problem?
Children will get the best out of technology if they have strong language skills to start with.
How important is what my child watches or plays?
It is important to ensure programmes or games are age appropriate. Try to avoid anything aimed at adults (e.g. soaps, news, music channels, talks shows).
Why should we limit screen time?
Young children learn best from real life experiences and interactions. Time spent in front of a screen reduces time children spend interacting with those family members around them.
