How much screen time is OK for a toddler?
Short answer
For babies under one, ideally none. For children aged two to four, the World Health Organization suggests no more than an hour a day, and less is better. What they watch, and whether you watch together, matters as much as how long.
What the guidelines say
- Under 1: the World Health Organization recommends no screen time at all, apart from video calls with family.
- Ages 2 to 4: no more than one hour a day, and less is better.
- Under 18 months: the American Academy of Pediatrics also advises avoiding screens other than video calls, and for ages 2 to 5 recommends about an hour a day of high-quality programmes, ideally watched together.
In the UK, the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health has taken a different approach: rather than a strict limit, it encourages families to agree what works for them, and to avoid screens in the hour before bed.
What matters as much as the minutes
- Calm content. Slower, gentler videos are easier for little ones to follow and to switch off. See our low-stimulation songs for toddlers.
- Watching together. Talking, singing and pointing things out turns screen time into time together.
- No screens before bed. Swap the last video for a song you sing yourself.
- Audio instead of video. Many of our songs work just as well as music.
A gentle routine to try
Choose one or two songs rather than an endless playlist, finish with the slowest, then turn the screen off and sing the song again together.
References
- World Health Organization (2019). Guidelines on physical activity, sedentary behaviour and sleep for children under 5 years of age. who.int
- American Academy of Pediatrics, Council on Communications and Media (2016). Media and young minds. Pediatrics, 138(5), e20162591. doi.org/10.1542/peds.2016-2591
- Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (2019). The health impacts of screen time: a guide for clinicians and parents. rcpch.ac.uk
