How much screen time is right for young children?

For young children, less is better. The World Health Organization recommends no screen time for babies under two, and no more than an hour a day for children aged two to four, with less being better. What children do instead, especially playing, moving, talking and sleeping, matters just as much as the number of minutes.

What the guidelines say

• Under 2 years: no sedentary screen time is recommended. Video calls with family are generally seen as fine.
• 2 to 4 years: no more than one hour a day, and less is better.
• Older children: set consistent limits, keep screens out of bedrooms and away from meals and bedtime, and make sure screens do not replace sleep, play and physical activity.

In South Africa, the Department of Basic Education has said it is developing national screen-time guidelines for children aged two to six, citing concerns about language development and fine motor skills.

Why screen time matters for young children

• Language grows through conversation. Children learn to speak by talking and listening to real people, which screens cannot replace.
• Hands and bodies need practice. Drawing, building, climbing and playing outdoors develop the coordination children later need for writing.
• Sleep is easily disrupted, especially by screens in the evening.
• Imaginative play needs space. When children are not entertained, they invent their own games, which builds creativity and concentration.

Practical ways to cut back

• Make some times and places screen free, such as meals, the car on short trips, bedrooms and the hour before bed.
• Have easy alternatives ready: a basket of blocks, crayons and paper, a sandpit, a box of dress-up clothes.
• Go outside every day, even for a short walk.
• Watch together when screens are used, and talk about what you see.
• Model it yourself. Children copy what adults do, including how we use our phones.
• Expect some boredom. It is often the moment just before a child starts to play.

Early childhood at Roseway

In Waldorf early childhood education, children learn through imitation, play and real experiences. At Roseway, mornings in Play Group and Kindergarten are built around free imaginative play indoors and outside, songs, rhymes and stories, baking, gardening, handcrafts and walks in the countryside around the school. Our toys are simple and made from natural materials, so children use their own imagination.

Questions parents ask

Would you like to see a Roseway early childhood morning? Arrange a visit.