How much screen time is right for children aged 2 to 8?

What the recommendations say

In its 2019 guidelines, the World Health Organization recommends no screen time for children under 2, and no more than one hour a day for children aged 2 to 4. For this age a simple rule applies: less is better.

For children aged 5 to 8 there is no single number that fits everyone. What matters more is that screens do not replace sleep, movement, outdoor play and time with others, and that it is clear in advance how long and when.

Source: WHO guidelines on physical activity, sedentary behaviour and sleep for children under 5

What your child does matters

Half an hour of a game where a child builds, counts or solves a puzzle is not the same as half an hour of videos that play on by themselves. A good game asks for decisions, has an end and does not reward a child for staying as long as possible.

• Choose games with a clear end to each round, without endless continuing.
• No ads and no purchases offered to the child.
• Difficulty follows the child: not too easy, not too hard.

How to agree on a calm end

Most arguments start when the end comes out of nowhere. It helps when a child knows in advance how much time is left.

• Agree on the length before starting, not in the middle of the game.
• Announce the end a few minutes early.
• Finish after a round, not in the middle of a task.
• In the evening, choose calmer games and an earlier end.

How Huhu helps

In Huhu a parent sets a daily limit of 10 to 60 minutes. Two minutes before the end the owl announces a break and then goes to sleep. From a chosen hour, evening mode dims the screen, quietens sounds and suggests finishing. More on the Screen time page.

Screen time in Huhu →