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In recent years, young children have been more exposed to phones, tablets, TVs, and other screens. Screen use by families can feel completely normal now, and almost part of everyday life, but what is the real impact on children’s development?
How much screen time is actually appropriate, and how do the habits of parents and family members influence children’s behaviour and learning? What might all this mean for their social, emotional, and cognitive growth?
Let’s take a closer look and break down what families need to know about screen time and development in children.
Research over the past few years shows how quickly screen use begins and how rapidly it increases as children get older.
The Children of the 2020s study, which looked at 8,000 families in England, found that nine-month-old babies who use screens spend an average of 41 minutes a day in front of digital content. Babies in single-parent homes average 47 minutes, compared with 39 minutes in two-parent households.
Screen time appears to climb quickly as children grow, and research published by the Department for Education following nearly 5,000 children revealed that by age two, nearly all children (98%) were engaging with TV, videos, or other digital content, spending an average of 127 minutes on screens each day.
Guidelines around screen time depend on age.
For babies under two, it is recommended to avoid screens entirely, aside from shared activities that encourage bonding, interaction and conversation. Once children turn two, they suggest limiting screen time to no more than an hour a day, a guideline that continues up to age four.
For older children, the NHS advises keeping screen time to a maximum of two hours per day.
Across most guidelines, the general message is that as little screen time as possible is optimal for supporting healthier development and learning in the early years.
The first five years of life are a period of incredibly rapid brain growth, making early experiences, both on and off screens, highly influential. Research shows that screen time can impact several areas of development, especially when exposure is frequent or begins at a very young age.
Studies have linked increased screen exposure in infancy and toddlerhood with higher emotional reactivity in children aged three to five. Even short bursts of TV between six and 18 months have been associated with aggression and externalising behaviours.
Social development in early childhood relies heavily on face-to-face interactions, so screens can sometimes interfere with children's learning to recognise emotions, manage frustration, and build healthy relationships.
Early and frequent screen use can also affect how children engage in structured learning. One study found that for each additional hour of TV exposure, children participated about 7% less in classroom activities, suggesting that heavy screen use may reduce curiosity and active involvement in learning experiences.
The same study also found that higher levels of screen time are linked to effects on social and emotional development, along with increased chances of sleep problems, obesity, and mental health challenges like anxiety or depression.
A child’s brain in the first few years is busy building the skills they need to understand emotions, show empathy, control impulses, and figure out how to respond in different situations.
Research suggests that early or frequent screen use can make these skills harder to build. For children under two, even background TV or short periods of screen time have been linked to weaker attention and slower language development, with many studies showing a clear connection between screen exposure and language delays in toddlers.
Screens are designed to grab attention because they’re bright and highly stimulating. The more time children spend on them, the more their brains get used to that high-energy input. That can make focusing in calmer environments more challenging, and it can make screens feel extra rewarding compared with other activities.
Screens don’t just affect children when they’re the ones using them, and parental use matters too.
Families benefit from being mindful of how phones or other devices are used around children. Where a parent’s attention goes sends a clear signal about what is important, and even if the content seems harmless, children often perceive phone use as a lack of responsiveness.
Technoference happens when everyday interactions, like playtime, family meals, or bedtime routines, are interrupted by technology. Even quick checks can interfere with the small but meaningful moments where children learn patience, social skills, and emotional regulation, all of which tie into key child development milestones.
When parents are distracted, children may act out to get attention, and caregivers can miss chances to offer reassurance or guide learning. It’s also harder to read children’s social cues when your eyes are on a phone, which means you might miss opportunities to respond appropriately in the moment.
Over time, these moments can replace opportunities for co-regulation, where you help your child manage big feelings, leading to long-lasting behaviour challenges.
Cutting back on screen time might seem like the obvious solution, but in practice, it’s trickier than it sounds. Screens are everywhere, and both adults and children are naturally drawn in.
Trying to reduce screen time can feel like swimming against the current, especially when these devices are designed to pull our attention in.
Mobile devices are incredibly useful, but they can make it harder to stay focused. Constant notifications, pings, and visual triggers break up attention and pull you away from the moment. For children, whose attention and self-regulation are still developing, these distractions can have an even stronger effect.
Vivid colours and fast-moving images make screens hard to look away from. Smartphones and tablets also tap into our brain’s reward system by triggering dopamine spikes and pulling us to keep reaching for them. This creates a habit loop in our and our children’s brains, where the more you use it, the more you want it.
Parenting can be stressful, and screens often feel like a quick escape. Many parents pick up their phones during tough moments to catch a breather, and sometimes hand a child a tablet or phone to calm them down as well.
These actions are completely understandable, as they give both parents and children a moment to reset.
But over time, this can start to become a go-to response rather than a one-off solution. Children may become used to this pattern of turning to screens for comfort, and parents can find themselves relying on it more often during challenging moments.
Managing screen time for children can feel tricky, but a few tips and strategies can make it much easier for the whole family:
Raising children nowadays has new challenges, and it’s easy for families to feel caught between wanting the best for their child and managing the pull of screens.
The good news is that small changes to routines and personal habits can make it easier to reduce screen time and support your child's healthy development.
For families with younger children, nurseries and early learning settings can be a helpful partner in this process. Many nurseries already integrate structured screen-free play and learning, giving children a balance of guided activities and social interaction that complements what happens at home.
Thoughtful screen use for both parents and young children can help families strike a balance in which technology supports learning and play without replacing hands-on learning and experiences, aiding children’s growth while keeping family relationships strong.
While it’s true that too much screen time isn’t ideal, technology can be a really helpful tool for learning and development in young children. There a...
