Under fives should have no more than an hour a day of screen time, under new UK advice | Children
New government advice says children under five should spend no more than an hour a day in front of a screen.
Apart from shared activities that encourage interaction, screen time should be avoided for children under the age of two and advice will be given to families.
In addition, the government is considering Australian-style measures to limit or ban social media for those under 16.
The guidance was developed by a panel led by children’s commissioner Dame Rachel de Souza and child health expert Prof Russell Viner.
Keir Starmer said the new guidance will help families keep their children safe and ensure they develop healthy habits with screens.
The Prime Minister said: “Parenting in a digital world can feel brutal. Screens are everywhere and advice is often contradictory. My government will not leave parents to face this battle alone.”
Starmer added: “There will be those who will argue against us doing this. But whether it’s advancing technology, coping with living costs or balancing the demands of family life, I will always stand with parents doing the best they can for their children.”
Guidance for parents on screen time for children aged two to five will advise them to “try to limit this time to one hour a day. Less is possible.”
During screen time for children between the ages of 2 and 5, parents will be advised to avoid fast-paced social media-style videos, toys or tools that use artificial intelligence.
Bedtimes and meal times should be screen-free; Families should be advised to experiment with background music, board games, bedtime stories, and coloring instead.
The guide says that watching screens with children, talking about the content and asking questions is better for children’s cognitive development than letting them use them alone.
Shared screen activities might include video calling with friends and family or looking at photos together.
The government has previously stated that approximately 98% of children watch screens every day up to the age of two, and that those who spend the most time in front of screens have an impact on language development.
In its review of the evidence, the panel found that long periods of time spent in front of screens alone had a detrimental impact on sleep, physical activity, imaginative play and interaction with parents, which are key to good development.
However, the panel stated that restrictions on screen time should not be applied in the same way for children with special educational needs and disabilities who use screen-based assistive technologies.
It is hoped that the recommendations on screen time will help children and families develop healthier relationships with screens and use them in a way that does not risk hindering their preparations for starting school.
Viner, professor of adolescent health at University College London, said: “Spending too much time alone can overshadow the things that make the biggest difference – sleep, play, physical activity and talking to parents and carers.”
The panel also recommended in its report that parents should consider their own screen use around their children and consider screen-free periods of the day for the whole family.
Dr Mike McKean, vice-president of policy at the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, welcomed the guidance to help parents protect the “short but developmentally important early years”.
“The increased emphasis on online and digital spaces has made childhood an even more challenging time for parents to navigate,” he said.
“For many years, parents and professionals have had to play a dangerous game of catch-up, trying to find the right balance for their children.”
