How much screen time should a 2-year-old have?

For ages 2 to 5, the AAP recommends limiting screen use to about 1 hour per day of high-quality programming, and co-viewing when you can so you can help your child connect what they see to the real world. Video chatting with family is not counted in that hour.

Is screen time bad for babies under 1?

The AAP recommends avoiding screen media for children younger than 18 months, with one exception: video chatting. A baby's brain takes around 18 months to map screen symbols to their real-world equivalents, so before that, screens do not teach the way live interaction does. Babies learn from hearing your voice, seeing your face, and handling real objects.

Does video chatting with grandparents count as screen time?

No. The AAP treats video chatting as an exception that is acceptable at any age, including for babies, because the live back-and-forth is a form of connection rather than passive watching. It does not count toward the daily limit for older children.

How long before bed should screens be turned off?

The AAP recommends avoiding screens for about 1 hour before bedtime and keeping devices out of the bedroom overnight. Screens close to bedtime delay sleep and lower its quality, which matters at every age.

Is it OK to have the TV on in the background?

It is better to turn it off. The AAP cites research that background TV reduces the number of words a child hears from a parent (from about 940 to roughly 170 words an hour) and pulls attention away from play and interaction, even when your child does not seem to be looking at it.

What is the AAP Family Media Plan?

It is a free tool from the AAP that helps families set their own screen-free times, screen-free zones, and limits that fit their routines. Making the plan together, rather than imposing rules in the moment, tends to make the limits easier to keep.

Screen time · 0–5 yr

Screen Time Guidelines by Age (AAP)

The American Academy of Pediatrics no longer hands out one number for every child. The guidance shifts by age, and the early years carry the firmest limits.

Here is what the AAP actually recommends for screens by age, why the limits exist, and how to apply them on an ordinary day. The short version: under 18 months, skip screens except video chatting; from 18 to 24 months, introduce slowly and watch together; from 2 to 5 years, aim for about an hour a day of high-quality content you co-view. Video chatting with family counts as connection, not screen time, at any age. None of this is about a perfect day. It is about a default you can return to.

6 min read Screen time Updated June 2026

Reviewed against current AAP, CDC and federal guidance

The AAP guidance, by age

Younger than 18 months

Avoid screen media other than video chatting.
A baby's brain takes around 18 months to develop to the point where symbols on a screen come to represent their equivalents in the real world. Before that, screens do not teach the way you might hope.
Babies learn by touching things, hearing your voice, and watching your face. That is the actual curriculum at this age.

Video chatting with a grandparent or a deployed parent is fine. The back-and-forth makes it different from passive watching.

18 to 24 months

If you choose to introduce digital media, pick high-quality programming or apps.
Watch or use it together. Co-viewing is what turns a screen into something a toddler can learn from at this age.
Avoid leaving your toddler alone with a screen.
Keep the amount small; the AAP caps total entertainment screen time at about 1 hour a day from 18 months through age 5.

Introducing media here is a choice, not a milestone. There is no developmental reason to start.

2 to 5 years

Limit screen use to about 1 hour per day of high-quality programs.
Co-view when you can, and talk about what you are both seeing so your child can connect it to the world around them.
Choose content built for learning over fast-paced entertainment.
Keep the daily hour separate from video chatting with family.

One hour is a target to aim at across a typical day, not a line that defines a good parent.

Why the limits exist

Language. Babies and toddlers build vocabulary from live, responsive talk. The AAP cites research that a parent normally speaks about 940 words an hour around a toddler; with the TV on, that figure drops by about 770 words.
Sleep. Screens close to bedtime push back sleep and lower sleep quality, which is why the AAP advises avoiding screens for about 1 hour before bed.
Attention and thinking. Heavy early media use is associated with delays in thinking, language, and social-emotional development.
Time itself. Hours on a screen are hours not spent moving, playing, reading, or being talked to.

Rules that apply at every age

Keep meals screen-free. Mealtime is for talking and noticing fullness, not watching.
Turn screens off about 1 hour before bed, and keep devices out of the bedroom overnight, including TVs, computers, and phones.
Designate screen-free times and screen-free zones for the whole family, starting with bedrooms and the table.
Skip background TV. A screen on with no one watching still pulls attention and talk away from your child.
Co-view young children's media instead of using it as a separate activity.
Video chatting with family stays welcome at any age.

Screen time at a glance

Age	Screens (non-video-chat)	Quality	Co-view
Under 18 months	Avoid	N/A	Video chat only
18 to 24 months	Optional, small amount	High-quality only	Required
2 to 5 years	About 1 hour/day	High-quality only	Recommended
Any age	Off ~1 hr before bed; none at meals or in bedroom	—	—

What a realistic day can look like

A long flight or a doctor's wait runs over the hour. That is one day, not a pattern. Return to your default the next day.
If today was heavy on screens, you do not need to make up for it with a screen-free streak. Just reset tomorrow.
Pick the time of day the hour usually lands, so it is a routine instead of a negotiation.
Build a family media plan together. The AAP offers a free Family Media Plan tool to set times, zones, and limits that fit your routine.
The goal is a default you can come back to, not a record you can't break.

Beyond the clock: the 5 C's

The AAP's current framing moves past a single time limit. When you weigh a screen choice, the AAP suggests considering five things: the Child (what suits this specific kid), the Content (quality over volume), Calm (whether a screen is the only way your child manages emotions or settles for sleep), Crowding Out (what the screen is replacing, like sleep, family time, or play), and Communication (talking about media early and often). The AAP presents the 5 C's as a complement to the hourly targets for young children, not a replacement for them. The 5 C's help with the judgment calls the clock can't make.

Quick answers

How much screen time should a 2-year-old have?: For ages 2 to 5, the AAP recommends limiting screen use to about 1 hour per day of high-quality programming, and co-viewing when you can so you can help your child connect what they see to the real world. Video chatting with family is not counted in that hour.
Is screen time bad for babies under 1?: The AAP recommends avoiding screen media for children younger than 18 months, with one exception: video chatting. A baby's brain takes around 18 months to map screen symbols to their real-world equivalents, so before that, screens do not teach the way live interaction does. Babies learn from hearing your voice, seeing your face, and handling real objects.
Does video chatting with grandparents count as screen time?: No. The AAP treats video chatting as an exception that is acceptable at any age, including for babies, because the live back-and-forth is a form of connection rather than passive watching. It does not count toward the daily limit for older children.
How long before bed should screens be turned off?: The AAP recommends avoiding screens for about 1 hour before bedtime and keeping devices out of the bedroom overnight. Screens close to bedtime delay sleep and lower its quality, which matters at every age.
Is it OK to have the TV on in the background?: It is better to turn it off. The AAP cites research that background TV reduces the number of words a child hears from a parent (from about 940 to roughly 170 words an hour) and pulls attention away from play and interaction, even when your child does not seem to be looking at it.
What is the AAP Family Media Plan?: It is a free tool from the AAP that helps families set their own screen-free times, screen-free zones, and limits that fit their routines. Making the plan together, rather than imposing rules in the moment, tends to make the limits easier to keep.

Sources & further reading

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This guide reflects current AAP, CDC and federal guidance and is for educational purposes only. It does not constitute medical or legal advice. ParentFlow is a wellness companion — not a substitute for your pediatrician. For any medical concern, contact your healthcare provider.