Discover a pediatrician’s tips on managing kids' screen time with age-based guidelines, healthy habits and balanced technology use for children.

Published: July 8, 2025

Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

These days, technology is everywhere, and it can be hard to manage appropriate screen time for kids. It gets even more complex when kids need tech for school, to learn a new skill, for work,  for reading and other activities. This guide to recommended screen time can help parents set reasonable expectations and make thoughtful decisions about media use in their homes.

Recommended screen time limits for kids

Resist the urge to set a rigid hours limit for kids older than 5. The American Academy of Pediatrics emphasizes the quality of screen interactions rather than a set number of minutes.

“Not all screen time is equal, and it’s important to know how your kids are interacting with any type of technology,” said Heather M. Felton, M.D., pediatrician with Norton Children’s Medical Group. 

The American Academy of Pediatrics has stricter guidelines for younger children. The AAP discourages media use by children younger than 18 months, except for supervised video chatting. Digital media for children ages 18 to 24 months should be high quality and supervised media. For children ages 2 to 5, the suggestion is to limit screen time to one hour a day of high-quality programming.

For ages five and up, instead of a rigid structure for screen use, consider:

• Exploring how social media affects children and teens: Having age-appropriate conversations with kids on the impact of social media exposure can help your family make good choices for daily screen time.
• Helping your child practice balance between time on screens and time off and how to have healthy screen habits
• Talking about the differences between types of media, what is quality screen time use and how to set limits on daily screen time

How too much screen time may affect your child

The research on screen time, social media and other tech use on children shows there may be a link between excessive screen time and negative outcomes. Studies, however, may have inconsistent or inaccurate research methods. As this field of research grows, more accurate tools will be developed to assess the overall impact of screen time on children and adolescents.

Some ways technology use may impact kids include:

• Behavior: There may be changes in attention span, mood, impulse control and emotional regulation.
• Sleep: Evening screen use can disrupt melatonin production and healthy sleep routines.
• Academic performance: Decreased focus or homework quality can occur.
• Vision: The American Academy of Ophthalmology says too much time indoors and looking at screens can impact nearsightedness and overall eye health.

“You know your child best,” Dr. Felton said. “Every kid is different; every family is different. The behaviors you observe can help you set screen time limits that are appropriate for your child.”

Benefits of screen time

There are many benefits to thoughtful use of technology, including:

• Educational apps and games that support literacy, math, science, or creativity
• Content that promotes shared learning and discussion
• Videos that teach techniques or skills used for hobbies or problem-solving
• Video calls to maintain social connection with friends and family

Setting screen time limits without drama

A family technology use plan or a screen time contract can help you set clear expectations. Be consistent but flexible.

“Build in time with digital devices for special occasions or rewards,” Dr. Felton said. 

Lead by example, too. If the rule is no phones at the dinner table, that goes for the whole family. Model appropriate screen time use and talk to your kids about why you might be using your digital devices. For example, you might be reading a book on a tablet or checking the weather on a smartphone. 

Use parental controls or device timers, but don’t rely on them alone. Be sure to check in with kids about what they are watching and monitor screen time yourself, too.

Encourage tech-free play and social time

By encouraging device-free time and providing interesting alternatives, you can teach kids to balance life online and off. Some things to try include:

• Create family tech-free areas such as mealtimes or bedrooms.
• Offer plenty of fun, non-tech things to do: board games, outdoor activities, craft projects and sports equipment.
• Schedule tech-free family time regularly.
• Schedule play dates or join clubs to encourage offline emotional and social development.

A word about social media

Most of these suggestions can apply to cell phone use as well. Dr. Felton recommends waiting until at least the eighth grade to give kids phones and waiting until they are 16 to introduce social media. “Take time to use social media together and talk about topics like online safety and screen time,” she said.

Balance, not perfection It’s OK if every day isn’t perfect and your kids are still grumbling about the rules.

“The goal is a healthy, mindful relationship with technology,” Dr. Felton said.