Please note: this guide is general information for parents, not medical, psychological or other professional advice, and it can’t take your child’s individual situation into account. If you’re worried about your child’s health, wellbeing or safety, speak to their school or a qualified professional such as your family doctor. In an emergency, contact your local emergency number.
There’s no single number of hours that’s right for every child. Health organisations in different countries publish age-based guidance, and it’s worth checking what your national health service or paediatric association recommends. But the hours are only part of the picture. What your child does on screens, when, and what it replaces matter just as much. Here’s how to think about it at each age, and how to build a balance your family can actually keep.
Why “how many hours?” is only half the question
Two hours of video calls with grandparents, a coding project and a documentary is very different from two hours of endless short videos at midnight. Instead of only counting minutes, ask four questions:
- What is it? Creating, learning and connecting, or passive scrolling?
- When is it? Is it eating into sleep, homework, meals or family time?
- What does it replace? Is there still time for movement, friends, reading and rest?
- How does your child seem? Calm and engaged, or irritable and hard to pull away?
The “balance check”
A simple way to judge whether screen time is out of balance is to check whether these things are still happening most days:
- enough sleep, with screens off before bed,
- physical activity and time outdoors,
- homework done properly,
- meals and conversation without screens,
- time with friends in person,
- some time for reading, hobbies or doing nothing.
If those are in place, the exact number of hours matters less. If they’re slipping, it’s time to adjust.
What to think about at each age
| Age | Things to weigh up |
|---|---|
| 6–8 | Shared, supervised use; clear daily limits; content chosen by you; devices in family spaces. |
| 9–12 | More choice within agreed limits; talk about what they watch and play; introduce online safety rules. |
| 13–15 | Phones and social life go online; focus on agreements, sleep and homework time rather than strict minutes. |
| 16–18 | Increasing self-management; the goal is a teen who can regulate their own use before leaving home. |
These are general considerations, not official recommendations. Check the guidance from your country’s health authorities and use your own judgement about your child.
Signs screen time may be too much
- Big reactions — anger or tears — when screens end, most days.
- Sleep is being cut short by late use.
- Homework, friends or hobbies are being dropped.
- They seem restless or bored without a screen for even short periods.
- Screens are used to avoid feelings or problems.
If you notice these alongside changes in mood, sleep or behaviour, talk to your family doctor.
How to set a sensible limit
- Start with the non-negotiables: sleep, homework and meals come first.
- Agree screen-free times and places — bedrooms at night, the dinner table.
- Agree a daily or weekly amount for recreational use, with your child.
- Separate schoolwork from fun — homework on a device doesn’t count the same way.
- Review every few months as your child grows.
Our family media plan turns this into a short agreement you can write together.
Make some of it count
Not all screen time is equal. Some of the best uses of a screen are creative or genuinely educational — and that includes using a free AI app to help with homework, if it’s set up to explain and question rather than give answers. See educational screen time.
Model it yourself
Children copy what they see. Phone-free meals, putting your own phone away during conversations, and talking about how you manage your screen time make your rules far more believable.
Frequently asked questions
How many hours of screen time should a child have?
Guidance differs between countries and organisations, so check your national health guidance. Beyond the hours, look at what the time is spent on and whether sleep, activity, homework and family time are protected.
Does homework on a computer count as screen time?
Most families treat schoolwork separately from recreational screen time. It still helps to take breaks and keep devices out of bedrooms at night.
Is screen time before bed bad for kids?
Many families find late screen use cuts into sleep. Switching devices off for a while before bed and charging them outside the bedroom is a common rule.
How do I reduce screen time without a fight?
Agree rules in advance, give warnings before time ends, offer appealing alternatives, and keep limits predictable. See our guide to limiting screen time without daily fights.
Next steps
Run the balance check this week. If something important is slipping, agree one change together — then see how to limit screen time without daily fights.