Screen time for toddlers
What the American Academy of Pediatrics and the World Health Organization recommend at each age, and how to make the screen time you do use count.
| Age | AAP | WHO |
|---|---|---|
| Under 18 months | Avoid screens except video chatting | No sedentary screen time under 2 |
| 18–24 months | High-quality content only, watched together | No sedentary screen time under 2 |
| 2–5 years | Up to 1 hour a day of high-quality content, co-viewed | No more than 1 hour a day (2–4 years); less is better |
Why the limits are so low for little ones
Babies and toddlers learn language and problem-solving through back-and-forth with people and hands-on play. Under 2, children struggle to transfer what they see on a screen to real life (researchers call it the “video deficit”). Screens also compete with sleep, and bright light in the evening delays it.
Making screen time better
- Watch together and talk: “What's the bear doing?”
- Pick slow shows without ads. Fast cuts are harder for young brains to follow.
- Screen-free zones: bedrooms and mealtimes.
- Off an hour before bed.
- Mind your own phone. Children notice when adult attention goes to a screen.
- Make a family media plan. The AAP has a free template at HealthyChildren.org.
Using a show so you can shower or cook is real life, not failure. Aim for mostly-offline days, and don't sweat the occasional long movie on a sick day.
Language milestones by age: speech milestones chart.
Questions parents ask
How much screen time is OK for a toddler?
The AAP advises avoiding screens other than video chatting under 18 months; for 18–24 months, only high-quality programmes watched together; and for ages 2–5, no more than 1 hour a day of high-quality content, co-viewed. The WHO recommends no sedentary screen time under 2 and no more than 1 hour for ages 2–4.
Does video chatting count as screen time?
Video calls with grandparents and family are an exception at any age; they’re interactive, and the AAP supports them.
What counts as high-quality content?
Slow-paced, non-violent, educational programmes without ads, ideally from sources like public broadcasting. Watch together and talk about what you see.
Is background TV a problem?
Yes. Background TV reduces the amount and quality of adult-child talk and interrupts play. Turn it off when no one is watching.