Media Use Guidelines: Babies & Toddlers (for Parents) (2024)

FAQs

Media Use Guidelines: Babies & Toddlers (for Parents)? ›

If you introduce digital media to children ages 18 to 24 months, make sure it's high quality and avoid solo media use. For children ages 2 to 5, limit screen time to one hour a day of high-quality programming. As your child grows, a one-size-fits-all approach doesn't work as well.

Toddlers 18 months to 24 months old can start to enjoy some screen time with a parent or caregiver. Children this age can learn when an adult is there to reinforce lessons. By ages 2 and 3, it's OK for kids to watch up to 1 hour a day of high-quality educational programming.

Create screen-free times and places in your home, such as meals and bedtime. Set do-not-disturb on phones when you want undistracted time. For younger children, it helps to have consistent and predictable media routines and time limits.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends these acceptable amount of screen time limits: No screen time for children under 2. One hour per day for children 2 to 12. Two hours per day for teens and adults.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends avoiding screens for children younger than 18 to 24 months, except when video chatting with family. The AAP also recommends limiting screen use for preschool children, ages 2 to 5, to just one hour a day of high-quality programming (think Sesame Street or PBS).

Technology Tools and Interactive Media

Allow children to explore digital materials in the context of human interactions, with an adult as mediator and co-player. As with shared book reading, use shared technology time as an opportunity to talk with children, use new vocabulary, and model appropriate use.

Developing screen time rules

If you introduce digital media to children ages 18 to 24 months, make sure it's high quality and avoid solo media use. For children ages 2 to 5, limit screen time to one hour a day of high-quality programming. As your child grows, a one-size-fits-all approach doesn't work as well.

What to do: Discuss how and why you use social media with your children. Set limits for social media use for yourselves and encourage your children to follow your example. Take social media holidays as a family and discuss the challenges and temptations you all experience when away from social media for a long time.

Make it clear that you expect your kids to treat others with respect, and to never post hurtful or embarrassing messages. And ask them to always tell you about any harassing or bullying messages that others post. Think twice before hitting "enter." Remind kids that what they post can be used against them.

Overuse of digital media may place your children at risk of: Not enough sleep. Media use can interfere with sleep. Children and teens who have too much media exposure or who have a TV, computer, or mobile device in their bedroom fall asleep later at night and sleep less.

Why screen time is bad for toddlers? ›

Early screen exposure has been associated with lower cognitive abilities and academic performance in later years. Language development is also affected by screen time, as it diminishes the quantity and quality of interactions between children and caregivers.

To keep an eye on a child's social media activity, parents can set up accounts of their own and check their child's pages and activity for themselves. Many parents also insist on knowing the passwords to their kids' accounts, although some parents may consider this an invasion of privacy.

To ensure their safety, it is important that parents set and enforce social media rules for their tweens. Before allowing kids to set up social media accounts, parents should set limits and boundaries, as well as consequences if these are not followed.

When it's restricted your child is more likely to binge, hyper-focus, get anxious or sneak time when you're not watching. They can never fully relax and enjoy their play or viewing because they will be worried that it will be taken away.

The study findings, published this week in JAMA Pediatrics, are in keeping with recommendations on media use from the American Academy of Pediatrics. The AAP advises keeping children away from screens until they're 18 months old and limiting digital media use for 2- to 5-year-olds to one hour per day.

Con: The Internet Is Great for Learning

Kids can play learning development games that teach them math, English, science, or other languages. By limiting their screen time, you might be limiting their ability to learn.

Social Media and Kids: Making an Informed Family Decision. Considering safety and privacy, it's not advised that young people under the age of 13 be on social media.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends no exposure to screens for children under 2 years old. But as the child gets older, families can use technology and interactive media to support learning and, ultimately, relationships.

Digital Media Can Improve Communication Skills

It can also help them learn to communicate effectively in different situations, such as sending a formal email or texting a friend. Kids may connect with people online and make friends through digital media.

Evidence suggests that a child's confidence is associated with increased learning capacity and curiosity. Media that can help young children not only learn skills but also to see and hear that they are valued and important can help build confidence, motivation for learning, and improve critical thinking.