7 Tips to Reduce Your Kids’ Screen Time

Nowadays, many children turn to iPads and tablets to keep themselves entertained. While a busy child allows parents to focus on work and other tasks, we must ask ourselves: how much screen time for kids is actually appropriate?

Using screens to keep your child busy can do more harm than good, so it’s important to limit usage and provide healthy alternatives. This guide will provide recommendations for how much screen time your child should get and what they can do to keep themselves entertained and enriched.

How Much Screen Time Should Kids Have?

According to experts, most young children shouldn’t get more than 2 hours of screen time per day, with a break after 30 minutes. Generally, these are the recommended benchmarks per age group:

• Infants (0 to 18 months): no screen time other than occasional video calls
• Babies (18 to 24 months): minimal screen time, only high-quality media
• Toddlers (2 to 5 years): maximum 1 hour daily
• Older children (6 years and older): maximum 2 hours daily, though can curate a flexible plan

While there is no definite answer to how much screen time is too much screen time, it’s important to understand the appropriate limits. When children spend too much time on laptops and tablets, there can be cognitive and physical consequences.

Experts have linked excessive screen time to obesity because children don’t spend enough active hours [*]. Excessive screen use can also lead to poor sleep quality and reduced attention span [*]. For teenagers, social media addiction can significantly hinder self-esteem and self-image.

According to the CDC, roughly half of US teenagers spend at least 4 hours or more on their screens [*]. National health authorities recommend no screen time for children under the age of 2, under 1 hour for children between 2 and 5, and under 2 hours for older children [*].

When deciding what type of content is appropriate for your child to consume on a tablet, consider how they already react to certain types of media. Why does your child want screen time? Then, think about what is worth their attention.

Screen Time Tip #1: Model the screen habits you want your kids to have

Children take after their parents, so modeling appropriate screen habits will encourage them to do the same. If you’re spending hours on your laptop or phone, you’re subconsciously communicating to your child that this is healthy behavior.

When spending time with your child, put screens away—this lets them know that you’re engaged and invested in your time with them. Unless you’re expecting an urgent call or notification, refrain from constantly checking your phone when engaged with your child.

Screen Time Tip #2: Set a consistent screen time routine

Teach your kids that they don’t get screen time just because they ask for it. Instead, set a predictable routine and establish firm rules. For example, for a five-year-old child, you might allow one hour of screen time before dinner, but only after they’ve finished chores, such as helping to tidy up.

Creating a structured routine helps this behavior become second nature. You can help integrate this routine more smoothly by anchoring screen time to daily markers. Use “when-the” rules, such as:

"Screen time starts when the laundry is done."

"You can have 45 minutes of screen time when you’re finished helping with the groceries."

Screen Time Tip #3: Create screen-free zones that apply to everyone

Screen-free zones shouldn’t just apply to your child. They should apply to everyone in an effort to create consistency. Start by assigning where these screen-free zones are. These might be at the dining table, in the car for short trips, or in the bedroom overnight.

Turning screens off 30 to 60 minutes before bedtime helps children fall asleep faster by calming the nervous system.

But don’t just decide where a screen-free zone is on the fly. Collaborate with your children on this system so they feel involved and not just bossed around. Ask your kids where they think screen time might distract from family time.

Make any exceptions clear. These exceptions might include anticipating an important phone call or email. If you need to take an urgent call, step outside of the room.

Implementing screen-free zones helps deepen connections between family members and improves a child’s social skills as they interact with others.

Screen Time Tip #4: Offer fun screen time alternatives

Spending time away from screens by enjoying the outdoors or engaging in creative play can give your child an even bigger boost of endorphins. These chemicals release happy hormones that make your child feel fulfilled within their environment.

Don’t always leave it up to your child to figure out what they want to do without a screen. Instead, suggest activities based on what your child needs at the moment. Do they want to engage in something restful and low-energy? Put together a sensory bin. Are they feeling a little agitated and need to burn off extra steam? Put together a safe indoor obstacle course.

Screen Time Tip #5: Use parental controls without invading their privacy

Monitoring your child’s screen time doesn’t equal full-time surveillance. You can thoughtfully balance safety and trust by being transparent about using parental controls.

Let your child know that their safety comes first, and that part of taking a privacy-first approach is blocking harmful websites that may compromise their information online. Reassure them that you won’t be reading their private messages or reviewing their browser history.

Focus on how your child is using their tablet versus what they’re doing on specific apps. Features like Apple Screen time or Google Family Link can tell you how much time a child is spending on a specific app. For example, are they spending all their time on social media? Are they playing a game? This information can help frame how you approach their screen time.

Screen Time Tip #6: Don’t make screens the default coping tool

If a screen is a child’s automatic answer to boredom, it’s likely because of the instant gratification they get from using a tablet or phone. These devices provide low-effort emotional regulation, which makes getting into “analog” activities a lot harder.

You can avoid screen addiction by weaning them off gadgets as an emotional pacifier. Instead, you can practice co-regulating. When your child is bored or emotional, do a few exercises together. Perform a 5-minute meditation or do a bit of stretching to get their blood flowing.

Practice coping alternatives according to your child’s emotional state. If they’re feeling overwhelmed or overstimulated, create a calm corner where they can be quiet with their thoughts. If your child is feeling angry or frustrated, give them “heavy work” to do, like running a lap together around the block or tearing paper to release energy.

Screen Time Tip #7: Give a heads-up before screen time ends

Giving your child a heads-up before screen time ends prepares them to transition away smoothly. When your child is so deeply immersed in what they’re doing on their screen, suddenly taking their gadgets away can be disorienting.

You can use visual timers, especially with young children who may not be able to estimate what “five minutes left” looks like. Alternatively, you can use tasks as a benchmark for this transition. For example, “Let’s wrap up when you finish this level.”

The Bottom Line

Today, children have more opportunities to spend time on screens, which can make it harder to balance screen use with outdoor play and other offline activities. Establishing healthy screen time boundaries can give your child better opportunities to be creative and connected with the people and world around them.

Use our healthy habits worksheet collection to find more ways to help your child become their best self.

Sources:

1. Stiglic N, Viner RM. “Effects of screentime on the health and well-being of children and adolescents: a systematic review of reviews.” BMJ Open, 2019.
2. Li C, Cheng G, Sha T, Cheng W, Yan Y. “The Relationships between Screen Use and Health Indicators among Infants, Toddlers, and Preschoolers: A Meta-Analysis and Systematic Review.” International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 2020.
3. Zablotsky B. “Daily Screen Time Among Teenagers: United States, July 2021 – December 2023.” National Center for Health Statistics, 2024.
4. Nuvoli V, Camanni M, Mariani I, Ponte S, Black M, Lazzerini M. “Digital screen exposure in infants, children and adolescents: a systematic review of existing recommendations.” Public Health in Practice, 2025.