Screen Time Recommendations by Age: A Parent's Guide
The age-based numbers are a useful starting point — but the 'three Cs' (content, context, and co-viewing) matter just as much. Here's the full picture.
"How much screen time is too much?" is one of the most-searched parenting questions, and for good reason. Here you'll find the widely cited age-based guidelines as a starting point — and, just as importantly, why what your child watches and who they watch it with often matters more than the minutes on the clock.
Quick answer
Common guidance: avoid screens (except video calls) under 18 months; very limited, co-viewed high-quality content from 18–24 months; about 1 hour a day of quality programming for ages 2–5; and consistent, reasonable limits for ages 6+ that protect sleep, activity, and family time. Content and context matter as much as the number.Screen time guidelines by age
Under 18 months
Avoid screen media other than live video chatting with family. Babies learn from real faces, voices, and hands-on play, and video calls are social and interactive, so they're an exception.
18–24 months
If you introduce screens, choose high-quality programming and watch *with* your child, talking about what you see. Avoid solo screen use at this age.
Ages 2–5
Aim for about one hour per day of high-quality content, ideally co-viewed. Keep screens out of meals and the hour before bed.
Ages 6 and up
There's no single magic number. Set consistent limits that protect the essentials — enough sleep, daily physical activity, homework, and face-to-face family time. A family media plan works better than a rigid clock.
The three Cs matter more than the clock
- Content: A slow, narrated story or a video call with grandma is worlds apart from frantic, ad-filled clips. Quality and pace matter.
- Context: Is the screen replacing sleep, play, and meals — or filling a genuinely idle moment? Where and when matters.
- Co-viewing: Watching together and talking about it turns passive screen time into shared learning and connection.
Protect the non-negotiables
Rather than obsessing over exact minutes, guard the things screens shouldn't displace: sufficient sleep, daily active play, in-person time, and unstructured boredom (which fuels creativity). If those are protected, the remaining screen time is far less worrying.
Make a simple family media plan
Agree on screen-free zones (meals, bedrooms) and screen-free times (the hour before bed). Written, shared rules reduce daily negotiation and apply to grown-ups too.Lead by example
Children absorb our habits more than our rules. Narrating your own choices — "I'm putting my phone away so we can talk" — teaches a healthy relationship with screens better than limits alone. For more on day-to-day balance, see our guide to healthy screen time for kids.
Frequently asked questions
How much screen time should a 2-year-old have?
Is screen time bad for kids?
Do video calls count as screen time?
What's the most important screen-time rule?
Written by
JULI
Parenting Writer & Author
JULI is a Miami-based parenting writer who turns child-development research into calm, doable advice for real families.
This article is general guidance, not medical advice. Every child is different — when in doubt, check with your pediatrician or a licensed professional. See our disclaimer.