Screen Time
It’s 5pm on Saturday. You’re home from a full day of parks, playdates, and birthday parties with your kids. Everyone is tired. You need to start dinner, but your preschooler keeps asking for help with toys or getting into sibling disputes.
You briefly consider putting on a movie….
Then the familiar guilt creeps in: Is screen time bad for their developing brain?
Screens are often portrayed as harmful for young children, yet most families use them regularly - so what does the research actually say?
After digging into the scientific literature on screen use and early childhood development, here are my six main takeaways:
Small amounts of screen time are unlikely to have measurable developmental effects in an otherwise enriched environment
Long-form shows or movies on a TV appear less disruptive to development than short-form videos or touchscreen games
Watching together (“co-viewing”) can turn screen time into a language-building and bonding experience
Avoid violent or frightening content, but don’t worry too much about whether a show is explicitly “educational”
Schedule screen time strategically (and make exceptions for travel and sickness)
Parents’ own screen habits - especially phone use - may matter more than children’s TV time
Below I’ll walk through the evidence behind these ideas and share what works well in our family. If you’re still hungry for more, I highly recommend the Substack Techno Sapiens, written by a clinical psychologist and former college classmate of mine who specializes in this area.
1. How much screen time is actually harmful?
Short answer: probably less than many parents fear, as long as exposure is moderate and the rest of a child’s day includes conversation, play, and learning
The AAP has recently shifted away from specific time guidelines, focusing instead on the quality of the content and viewing experience (in part because “the research guiding our understanding of the impact of screen media on health and wellbeing is further complicated by inconsistent or inaccurate research measures.”)
But before this change, the time recommendations were as follows:
0-18 months: no screens except for video-chatting (e.g. Facetime with grandparents)
18-24 months: only educational content watched with an adult
2-5 years old: 1 hour or less per day of “high quality” programming
According to the 2024 Common Sense Media survey, American children are exceeding these recommendations, with children under age 2 watching an average of 1 hour daily, and children 2 - 4 years olds watching 2 hours daily
But what does the data actually show about the cognitive and behavioral impact of varying amounts of screen time? As the AAP notes, this question is difficult to measure and the findings are surprisingly mixed.
There is some evidence that more screen time is associated with worse cognitive (e.g. memory, language) and psychosocial outcomes (e.g. hyperactivity, behavioral regulation), but with a few critical caveats:
Most statistically significant associations are small, meaning screen habits explain only a tiny fraction of variation in child outcomes (2024 meta-analysis, 2025 study)
Many studies fail to include socioeconomic covariates, which is a major confounder since it’s well established that sadly (and understandably) children in lower income/education households watch more TV on average and have lower average scores on the cognitive/emotional outcomes measured here
The adverse effects are generally driven by high exposure groups (i.e. 2 - 4 hours daily) (e.g. study). I found little evidence that low-dose use (<1 hour/day) differs meaningfully from non-use in adjusted models, though the literature here is limited
Many Glow Guide readers are high-achieving parents who may hold themselves to a standard of near-zero screen exposure
But if the research shows that small amounts of screen time have little measurable developmental impact, strict abstinence may not always be necessary
In practice, a short TV session before dinner or during a hectic morning might reduce parent stress and make the household run more smoothly, which ultimately benefits children as well
The Opportunity Cost of Screen Time
What matters most isn’t screen time itself, it’s what screen time replaces (study)
Setting aside violent or inappropriate programming, screens themselves aren’t the core problem. The real issue is what they replace: conversation, books, outdoor play, and time interacting with other people.
If your child spends most of the day with engaged caregivers at home or preschool, a short TV session that replaces a bit of independent play or downtime likely has little developmental impact
Just as with sex education, rather than promoting an abstinence-only approach, if we acknowledge that some quantity of screen time is okay, we can then focus on improving the quality of the experience
The counterargument here is that screen time is a “Pandora’s Box” and that by allowing even a minimal amount, you open your family up to more battles and creeping number of minutes
There’s definitely truth there - even if long-term developmental impacts are negligible, there could still be short-term problems, like reduced excitement about healthier activities or post-screentime tantrums that only worsen parent burnout
I think of it like dessert: allowed in limited quantities, it teaches moderation and gives me practice enforcing boundaries
2. Not all screen time is created equally
Some forms of media are far more stimulating and habit-forming than others - the format of screen time may matter more than the number of minutes
A quiet movie on the couch is a very different experience from algorithm-driven short videos or flashing mobile games
Long-form stories > Short-form videos
Short videos are designed to capture attention in rapid bursts
The Common Sense Media survey revealed that the amount of screen time children spend on TV is trending down while the relative share of short form video (Youtube shorts, tiktok, etc) has increased from 2020 to 2024, even for very young children
This is concerning because short-form content can erode attention spans, something many adults have experienced firsthand, though research in this area is still nascent (study with adults, study with children)
So counterintuitively, a longer movie or show, where your child must really follow the plot and get to know the characters, may be better for their brains than bite-size “snacks” of screen time
Humans are wired for stories. Following characters and plot over time engages attention and imagination in a way that rapid-fire clips simply do not.
This doesn’t mean you watch the full length movie in one sitting - it can be broken up into several chunks
Yoto Mini is a wonderful screen-free way to listen to stories if your kids need a break from screens, for example if they’re carsick (and Spotify also has narrations of popular Disney stories, Bluey episodes, etc)
Passive Viewing > Touchscreens
Passive viewing may be less disruptive than touchscreen apps
Many children's apps are deliberately designed to keep kids playing through bright colors, sound effects, rewards, and autoplay features (source)
Researchers call these “manipulative design” features, and they can encourage longer and more compulsive use
They can also train the brain to expect constant stimulation, making slower activities feel less engaging
Most apps marketed as “educational” have little evidence behind them (source)
Touchscreen media is also linked to worse sleep outcomes than passive TV viewing (meta-analysis)
For these reasons, a calm TV show may actually be less disruptive than an interactive tablet game held inches from your child’s face
TV > Phones/Tablets
Relatedly, larger screens (i.e. TVs) have a few other advantages over smaller screens (i.e phones/tablets)
With a TV, the parent can simply turn the screen off with a remote. Tablets and phones are physically in the child’s hands, which often turns the end of screen time into a struggle.
Movies and shows have more natural end points (e.g. end of an episode) whereas games are designed to keep you playing, or video shorts that keep autoplaying
It’s easier for the adult to monitor a big screen to ensure the content is appropriate, and ideally they can at least partially watch with their child
This process, known as “co-viewing” can make the passive TV watching more interactive and promote language/literacy, as I’ll explore further in the next section
Social psychologist Jonathan Haidt brings all these distinctions in the below video:
3. Co-viewing to turn screen time into language practice
Watching together helps children learn more from media and turns screen time into a social activity rather than a solitary one
Research consistently finds that parent-child co-viewing improves what children learn from media, promoting vocabulary learning and critical thinking (meta-analysis)
You can help your child to contextualize what they’re seeing, encourage them to predict what will happen next, and make connections to their own lives, just like you would a book
As mentioned above, this is much easier with big screens than small ones - Common Sense Media’s survey found that 74% of parents report co-watching their child's TV shows at least some of the time, whereas only 42% engage in co-using apps or games on a phone/tablet.
But isn’t the whole point of screen time to provide a break for us parents so we can get other stuff done?
It doesn’t have to be “all-or-nothing” - you can half-watch while cooking, folding laundry, or answering emails. Even occasional comments or questions help children process what they’re seeing.
And when you do pause the multi-tasking and fully embrace watching together, you’ll enjoy a more relaxing hour of parenting and a sweet bonding experience
One of my favorite moments was watching Mary Poppins with my kids and my parents - three generations singing along together
What if instead of feeling guilt about screen time, you felt nostalgia and connectedness!?
Extend screen stories into real-world play
In addition (or as an alternative) to co-viewing, you can also lean into the screen time content during off-screen playtime to make it more creative and social. For example:
Using the characters and plot for imaginary play/dress-up (I try not to get offended when I’m assigned Cruella)
Reading the book versions of the story (Watching Disney’s Hercules launched a months-long obsession with Greek mythology at bedtime)
Listening or dancing to the music (countless car rides belting out Lin-Manual Miranda’s wonderful lyrics in Encanto/Moana)
And yes, even buying some of the merch (my kids play so creatively with their Spidey & Amazing Friends figurines)
4. Choosing Content
When selecting media for young children, a few factors matter most - avoiding violent content, not overemphasizing “educational” labels, and paying attention to pacing
Violent or scary content
Violent or frightening content is one of the clearest risks in children’s media
In this excellent randomized control trial, shifting screen time away from violent content towards more pro-social content improved preschoolers behavior, especially among low-income boys
If your child is starting to have nightmares or act more fearful, screen time is one of the first places I’d re-evaluate
Young children can be easily frightened by things we might not view as scary, like storms (e.g. Frozen, Moana)
Death features prominently in a number of classic Disney movies, so consider whether you’re ready to start having those conversations (e.g. Lion King, despite being rated G)
For fears about fantastical content (e.g. dragons), use this as an opportunity to discuss the important concept of imaginary vs. real
Educational vs entertainment content
Some educational programs do produce measurable learning gains
Sesame Street improves literacy and numeracy outcomes (study)
Daniel Tiger improved emotional regulation in a randomized trial
Some toddler shows like Blue’s Clues and Dora the Explorer are linked to larger vocabularies (study)
However, the benefits are modest:
The learning gains tend to be specific and narrow - for example recognizing letters or numbers that were directly taught in the program
Children under ~2–2.5 often struggle to learn from video at all due to the well-known “transfer deficit,” meaning they have difficulty applying information from screens to the real world (study)
Many apps marketed as “educational” have little evidence behind them (with the exception of PBS Kids and Khan Academy Kids)
Personally, I wouldn’t stress about whether screen time is explicitly educational, as there are much more effective ways to teach those skills without a screen
Even non-educational shows can model important values like bravery, teamwork, and kindness (talk about these themes with your child to help them absorb it)
If your child is learning a second language, you can make any show more educational by switching to that language
Whatever content you choose, your little sponge will pick up on phrases or behaviors they see, so think carefully about what you want them to emulate
This is why I banned Peppa Pig in our house (the snorting and sibling conflicts were too annoying) but I’m fine with my daughter modeling off of Fancy Nancy (she now randomly says “oo la la” and other charming French expressions)
Pacing and overstimulation
Children vary a lot in how sensitive they are to media stimulation - some are easily overstimulated by fast-paced content (i.e. more frequent scene changes)
You know your kid best - if swapping out post-dinner Spidey for slower-paced Bluey leads to calmer bedtimes, that’s all the data you need
If you’re looking for specific guidance, Common Sense Media provides excellent age-based recommendations with parent reviews (including a list of popular low stimulation shows)
Here is my personal list of movies/shows to embrace, consider and avoid
5. How to Schedule Screen Time
Kids thrive on predictable routines and TV time is no exception
Think strategically about when you’ll derive the most benefit from a break (e.g. dinner cleanup, Friday night after a long workweek) or when there will be built-in endpoints (e.g. time to leave for school)
Linking screen time to another ritual can also help timebound it - for instance, we’d do TV in the mornings as we brushed our daughter’s unruly curls
Evidence on evening screen use and sleep is mixed:
An RCT of toddlers found that reducing evening screen time was associated with a small improvement in sleep efficiency and night awakenings (but not total sleep duration)
But another study found that duration of screen time impacted sleep quality and quantity, regardless of time of usage (i.e day vs. night didn’t make a difference)
In reality, it can be really useful to have some TV time after dinner while you clean up or so the adults can enjoy a more leisurely dinner after kids are done
Consider calmer, quieter shows for this time of day
Ensure this doesn’t take the place of important bedtime routines, like reading books together
It’s also not advisable to allow your kids to regularly watch TV while eating meals (but occasional exceptions like Superbowl Sunday are totally fine!) (source)
Avoid regularly using screens to calm a fussy child, as this can prevent them from learning healthier self-regulation strategies (source)
On the other hand, loss of screen time privileges can be an effective behavioral consequence (in our family, it’s our #1 deterrent!)
When screen time is nearing an end, give your child a 2 or 5 minute warning so they can mentally prepare. And accept the fact that they’ll likely still be unhappy, and that’s okay.
One way to reduce tantrums is allowing one or two longer screen blocks each week instead of short daily sessions
We recently made this shift - instead of 15-20 mins each morning, we now do longer movie nights on Friday and Saturday
This adds up to similar total time, but fewer battles - plus, it’s engaging their attention spans to follow a longer film
Turn off autoplay - here’s how to do it on Disney Plus, Netflix, and YouTube
For iPads/iPhones, you can turn on “Guided Access” which prevents your child from being able to change apps (so they don’t accidentally send gibberish texts to your friends, for example!). It’s in Settings, within Accessibility.
Don’t get your kids their own device - I was shocked to learn that by age 2, 40% of children have their own tablet, and by age 4 that number rises to 58% (source)
More of a framing issue - perhaps you don’t have a pre-existing iPad, so you purchase one for your kid to use on flights/drives. Still, don’t call it their iPad because then you are taking away their property when time is up.
This becomes a bigger problem once they’re older and social media comes into play, which is way more worrisome in my opinion than entertainment media
Loosen - or fully let go of - any screen time rules during travel, and when parents and/or kids are really sick
On flights, we generally try to exhaust all our non-screen activities first and then bring out the heavy hitters (i.e. Disney+ app on iPads). Make sure to download their movies/shows in advance so you can play offline.
For sickness, I’m not talking a runny nose, which is honestly the default these days in our house. More like flu or norovirus-level sick - during our latest bout of noro, we watched an insane amount of Disney and I have zero qualms about it
6. The Overlooked Issue: Parents’ Screens
Most discussions of screen time focus on children’s devices, but parents’ screen use may matter just as much
There’s solid research finding exposure to background adult TV (e.g. sports, news) can negatively affect children’s language development (study and meta-analysis)
The main mechanism appears to be reduced parent-child conversation
In one experimental study, researchers found parents uttered one-third fewer words per minute to their toddlers in the presence of background TV
These days, smartphone use is a far greater culprit of what has catchily been coined technoference - “intrusions and interruptions in face-to-face parent-child time, caused by tech devices” (source)
We’ve all been guilty of this at times, and early research suggests it may affect parent-child interaction
An experimental study found that mothers who looked at their cellphones during the study’s task (which involved helping their child try new foods) had fewer verbal, non-verbal and encouraging interactions with their child
An observational study of families (specifically at fast food restaurants!) found that when parents were more absorbed by their mobile devices, their children had to escalate their behavior to get the parents’ attention, which makes total sense
The causality may be bidirectional - one longitudinal study looked across multiple points in time and found that increased parent tech use was associated with more difficult child behaviors, but also that stressed parents responded to difficult child behaviors by withdrawing into their devices
In the only study I could find on longer-term outcomes, the more self-reported screen time the mothers had, the poorer the language abilities of their preschoolers (study). While they controlled for mother’s education, there are likely many other confounding factors at play.
As with kids’ screen use, the problem isn’t the device itself. It’s the small moments of interaction that disappear when we’re looking down at a phone instead of at our child.
When thinking about your own phone use around your child, don’t let the perfect be the enemy of the good - small tweaks might allow you to be more present and responsive during certain periods, while balancing the need to live your adult life too
Tips for reducing phone distraction
Build in some sacred times - meals, bath/bedtime, playground. If an urgent need arises during one of these times and another adult is present, step away into a different room rather than break the tech-free vibes.
Try to keep your phone out of sight (e.g. a pocket instead of the coffee table) or even better, out of reach (up on the kitchen counter). Research suggests that the mere presence of your phone impairs attention and cognitive performance, even if you’re not using it.
Turn on your sound so that you’re not compulsively checking for messages, instead trusting that you’ll hear if something requires your attention
Rather than reading the news or other articles on your phone around your kids, consider getting a print subscription to your favorite magazine (e.g. Atlantic, Economist). Remember - it’s actually healthy for them to learn to play more independently without your active involvement! .
I really like this strategy because it simultaneously models reading in front of them and helps me resist the Instagram scrolling
You should still expect fairly frequent disruptions, which is why I recommend articles rather than attempting a real book
Final Thoughts
The goal isn’t zero screen time, for your kids or for you. It’s creating a home where conversation, play, reading, and exploration fill most of the day.
When that foundation is in place, screen time becomes just another small part of family life: a movie on a rainy afternoon, a show while you finish making dinner, or a Friday night film everyone watches together.
In other words, it doesn’t have to be something we fear or obsess over. With a little intention, it can simply be one more tool in the parenting toolkit.
