Parent guide
Screen time for young children: guidelines and practical tips
Most families use screens in some way. Here is a clear summary of what health experts recommend for ages 2 to 7, and how to make the time your child spends on screens calmer and more useful.
What the guidelines say
The World Health Organization (WHO) published guidelines on physical activity, sedentary behaviour and sleep for children under 5 in 2019. For children aged 2 to 4, it recommends that sedentary screen time is no more than 1 hour a day, and says less is better. For babies under 1, it does not recommend screen time.
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) suggests avoiding screens other than video chatting for children younger than 18 months, choosing high-quality content watched together with a caregiver for ages 18 to 24 months, and limiting screen use to about 1 hour a day of high-quality programs for children aged 2 to 5, ideally watched or played together with a parent.
For children 6 and older, the AAP recommends a family media plan with consistent limits, making sure screens do not take the place of sleep, physical activity and time together.
Guidelines are updated from time to time and can differ by country, so check with your own health service or pediatrician for the latest advice.
Not all screen time is the same
Experts often point out that what children do on a screen matters as much as how long. Content that is calm, slow-paced, made for the child’s age, and asks the child to think, answer or create is very different from fast videos that play one after another.
Signs of higher-quality screen time for young children:
- It is made for your child’s age.
- It has no ads and no pressure to buy things.
- The child is actively thinking, choosing and answering, not just watching.
- Sessions have a natural end, so it is easy to stop.
- A parent can see what their child has done.
Practical tips for families
- Play together when you can. Talk about what is on the screen: “Why do you think that one floats?”
- Use a timer. A built-in limit means the app, not the parent, says “time is up”, which can mean fewer arguments.
- Keep screens out of bedtime. Turning screens off an hour before bed helps sleep.
- Mix screen learning with real-world play. Count real apples after a counting game. Draw on paper after a painting game.
- Keep meals screen-free. Mealtimes are great for talking, which builds language.
- Be a role model. Children notice how adults use their phones.
How FirstFoundationkids is designed around this
FirstFoundationkids has no ads and no in-app purchases. Each level is about 3 minutes long, so there is a natural place to stop. On the Parents page you can set a daily play-time limit from 15 to 60 minutes. When time is up, Pip the frog says goodbye, and only a grown-up can add more time.