What’s Recommended?

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) issued these guidelines for screen time:

• Babies and toddlers up to 18 months old: No screen time, with certain exceptions.
• Toddlers 18 months to 24 months: Some screen time with a parent or caregiver.
• Preschoolers: No more than 1 hour a day of educational programming, together with a parent or other caregiver who can help them understand what they’re seeing.
• Kids and teens 5 to 18 years: Parents should place consistent limits on screen time, which includes TV, social media, and video games. Media should not take the place of getting enough sleep and being physically active.

Kids should have a wide variety of free-time activities, like spending time with friends and playing sports, which can help develop a healthy body and mind.