Over the last few decades, screens have successfully invaded almost every corner of our lives. By adulthood, many of us spend our days jumping from one screen to the next, from computers at the office to televisions at home and our phones in our hands for all the spare moments in between. While screens provide a window to seemingly endless technological benefits, there are consequences to their overuse.
Too much screen time has been associated with higher levels of obesity, high blood pressure, and abnormal cholesterol later in life. Excess screen time has also been associated with behavior problems, delayed language skills, attention problems, binge eating, and sleeping disorders. Screens are also associated with delayed social skills, as kids don’t get the face-to-face interactions they otherwise would. Paying attention to your child’s screen time usage and establishing reasonable guardrails can teach kids to connect with peers and friends in real life outside of a quick text, social network, or gaming platform.
Screen Time Recommendations by Age
It probably isn’t fair to paint all screens with the same broad brush. When we talk about screen time, we’re lumping desktop and laptop computers, tablets, televisions, smartphones, gaming devices, and more all into one big group. Those devices, however, have various uses, many of which are beneficial. Screens can be used to deliver educational content and even facilitate social development. Smartphones, tablets, and home computers are often necessary for schoolwork and might be the only way kids interact with distant family members.
At the same time, most kids (and adults) spend way more time in front of screens than is recommended. The generally accepted screen time guidance is as follows:
- Children aged two or younger should have no screen time outside of video calls with family.
- Children aged 2 to 12 should spend no more than one hour of screen time per day.
- Children, teens, and adults aged 12 or older should get at most 2 hours of screen time per day outside of work and school obligations.
Strategies for Minimizing Screen Time
If there’s an uncomfortably large gap between your family’s current screen usage and the above recommendations, you’re not alone or out of luck. Making reasonable adjustments is more important than hitting any particular number. Being overzealous and trying to push too far or too fast could cause frustration and lead back to old habits. The goal of decreasing screen time is to make reasonable, achievable goals and work toward them. Here are some strategies for cutting down on screen time.
- Set aside a space for devices – Put your phones, tablets, and other devices in a designated location when not in use. If they can be out of sight or out of reach, that’s even better. The idea is to put some physical distance between your child and their phone or other device, to prevent mindlessly reaching for it.
- Set a good example – Modeling wanted behavior is one of your most effective tools. Parental screen time is one of the strongest predictors of childhood screen time. Kids copy what they see adults do (and what they don’t do). Set the example and create screen-free time together.
- Use technology to your advantage – Many modern devices have built-in parental controls, including limiting certain content and setting time limits.
- Keep screens out of the bedroom – Having a television, computer, or smartphone in the bedroom increases average daily screen time and can make it difficult to fall asleep. Have a central charging station for phones and other devices at night. Set expectations on what time you expect them to be on the charger.
- Give your child a heads up – Something as simple as a 10-minute warning before screen time is over can be enough to help ease the transition back to the real world and avoid meltdowns.
- Meet your children where they are at – Rather than an abrupt cutoff, help your child transition from screen time to real-time. Take a minute or two to watch them fight video game monsters or cheer on their favorite on-screen heroes. Kids usually like it when caregivers show an interest in their interests. After a moment, engage them with questions or commentary about their chosen entertainment to provide a smooth transition from engaging with the screen to engaging with you.
- Suggest screen-free activities – When it’s time to transition to a screen-free activity, provide two options so your child feels like they still have a choice in how they spend their time. Whether it’s playing basketball outside, helping you make cookies, playing with a sibling, or doing arts and crafts, guiding your child to interact and connect outside of screens gives them a chance to build social skills and creativity.
Encouraging Real-World Connections Through Play
Reducing screen time is only the beginning of the battle. By disengaging with screens, children (and adults) free themselves up for other experiences. Once the screens are down, the trick is to appropriately fill your child’s free time with more enriching activities. One of the best ways to do that is through play.
Playtime is helpful for countless reasons relating to social, cognitive, and physical development, problem-solving, and good old-fashioned happiness. Once upon a time, a childhood spent roaming the wild world, tromping through fields, and joyfully exploring your neighborhood as part of a youthful bicycle gang was the default experience. These days, many kids are more likely to be inside watching fictional kids have those experiences on screen. Breaking that cycle takes a little planning.
- Plan for playtime. These things won’t just happen; you might have to strongly encourage and intentionally schedule them. Schedule a playdate with other parents or take a trip to the park. Either go where the fun is or bring the fun to you.
- Find the fun in ordinary things. Anything can be a game with the right point of view. All that’s required to play is an attitude of playfulness. Finding joy even in the mundane is a skill that will serve your child their entire life.
- Play in the front yard. Backyards have become the preferred play area for many people because of their relative privacy and safety. However, making friends from the other side of the fence is more challenging. Spending some supervised time in more public spaces provides an opportunity for connection.
- Allow and plan for boredom. Phones are so alluring because they always have something to offer. As long as you’ve got a phone with a full battery and a wi-fi connection, no one ever needs to feel bored again. But a world of wonder, creativity, imagination, and connection lies on the other side of boredom.
By setting clear boundaries and encouraging activities beyond the screen, your child can find a healthy balance that allows them to have fun on and offline. With less screen time, children engage in real-life conversations, build stronger connections, and are more present in everyday moments. So, every effort you make to reign in the screens is worth it.
