Focus your baby's attention on interactive playtime, toys, and books, instead of screens. Under 18 months: Limit screen time to occasional video-chattingīabies need hands-on exploration and social interaction to learn and develop crucial skills, the AAP says.

Here are some general screen time recommendations by age, provided by the AAP, that your entire family can follow. Young children may watch screens all day if you let them, so it’s important to set limits. Generally, screen time shouldn't replace forming real-life interactions, getting enough sleep, and engaging in regular physical activity, the AAP says. When it comes to older children, teens and adults, the focus shifts to choosing quality screen-time activities rather than setting time limits. Recognizing that media can play an important role in learning, the AAP recommends limiting screen time for young children to less than two hours per day.

On average, screen time takes up more than six hours a day for teens and more than four hours a day for younger kids, according to a Common Sense Media study. Screen time for kids: Healthy recommendations (When’s the last time you checked your phone?) But you can help your family balance digital and real life by becoming more mindful of their daily and weekly screen habits and monitoring your own along the way. Adults are also developing unhealthy screen-time habits.

Limiting time on ipad for kids