A guide to screen time

The government has published new, evidence-informed guidance to help parents and carers of children under 5 navigate screen time.

With digital screens now a normal part of family life, this guidance offers practical advice to support informed choices to help little brains develop healthy screen habits.

The guidance recommends:  

• For under 2s – avoid screen time, other than shared activities like video calls with family or looking through photos together. For 2–5s: try to keep it to no more than 1 hour a day – less if you can.
• Choose slow-paced, predictable content with simple stories, fewer scene changes and characters who speak clearly. Avoid fast-paced, social media-style videos – these may affect a child’s ability to concentrate.
• Children copy everything you do so try to limit your screen use around your child.  
• Keep bedrooms and mealtimes screen-free. Try to swap screens before bed for a bedtime story and avoid screens for the hour before sleep as they can disrupt rest.
• Try not to let young children use screens alone – watching together means you can chat about what you’re seeing and spot anything inappropriate.
• The key is making sure screens don’t replace sleep, physical activity, play or quality time with you.

90% of brain growth happens before the age of 5. The interactions children have in these early years – the chats, the games, the stories, the back-and-forth conversations – lay the foundations for language, problem-solving, emotional understanding and self-control.

Large amounts of screen time has been linked to negative effects on social, emotional and language development, as well as sleep, eyesight and healthy weight. However, the good news is that small, simple swaps can make a big difference.

For more advice on how to help little brains to develop healthy screen habits visit the Best Start in Life website.