Screen Time Guidelines for Toddlers (12‑36 Months)

General Recommendations

Zero screen time is recommended for children younger than 24 months, and a strict maximum of 1 hour per day for children aged 24‑36 months, provided the content is high‑quality educational and an active caregiver co‑views the screen. This recommendation is based on strong, evidence‑based guidance from major pediatric societies. [1][2]

12‑23 months (under 2 years): No screen exposure is advised except for video‑chatting with family members, because direct human interaction is essential for healthy brain development during this period. [3][4]
12‑23 months: Seven studies have shown that screen exposure before 18 months is associated with language development delays, and no study has demonstrated any developmental benefit from early viewing. This constitutes high‑quality evidence of harm. [3][4]
24‑36 months (2‑3 years): A maximum of 1 hour of screen time per day is recommended by the World Health Organization, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and multiple international pediatric societies; less exposure is considered better. [1][2]
24‑36 months: Screens should never be placed in the child’s bedroom, as bedroom screens are linked to poorer sleep and developmental outcomes. [3][4]

Content quality: Only educational and child‑friendly programs should be allowed; exposure to such content for more than 15 minutes daily is linked to better developmental outcomes compared with non‑educational content. (Evidence cited in the guideline.) 1
Caregiver co‑viewing: Active interaction by a caregiver during screen time is associated with lower risk of cognitive and language delays and improved socio‑emotional skills; passive presence offers no protective benefit. (Evidence cited in the guideline.) 1

Only 24.7 % of children under 2 years actually meet the zero‑screen recommendation. [5][2]
Only 35.6 % of children aged 2‑5 years meet the 1‑hour daily limit. [5][2]

Daily book reading is identified as the single most important protective factor against excessive screen time; families should be counseled to replace screen use with reading, ≥ 180 minutes of varied physical play, and direct caregiver interaction. (Strong recommendation.) 1

At every well‑child visit for toddlers, clinicians should ask two mandatory screening questions:

Children under 2 years should have zero screen time, except for video chatting, as recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics 6, 7, 8, 9
The American Academy of Pediatrics makes an exception for video chatting with family members for children under 2 years 8, 9
Children aged 2-5 years should be limited to ≤1 hour per day of screen time, as recommended by the World Health Organization, Canadian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines, and Australian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines 6, 7, 8, 9, 10
Children aged 5-12 years should have ≤2 hours per day of recreational screen time, with this limit not including time spent on screens for educational purposes 6, 7

Only 24.7% of children under 2 years actually meet the zero screen time guideline, and only 35.6% of children aged 2-5 years meet the 1-hour daily limit 11, 12, 10, 13
High screen exposure in early childhood is associated with negative developmental consequences, as reported by the JAMA Pediatrics 9

Establishing screen-free zones, such as bedrooms and mealtimes, is recommended by the Praxis Medical Insights 14
Maintaining consistent sleep schedules is crucial, as screen time before bed disrupts sleep patterns, according to the Praxis Medical Insights 14

Only 35.6% of children aged 2-5 years meet the 1-hour daily screen time limit, as recommended by the World Health Organization, Canadian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines, and Australian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines 15
When the threshold is set at 2 hours daily, 56.0% of children meet this standard, indicating a need for stricter adherence to guidelines 15

Pediatricians should ask about family media use at all well-child visits and emphasize the importance of growth-enhancing offline activities, such as reading, play, physical activity, and social interaction, as recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics 16
Children using screens 2 hours daily or more, compared with 1 hour daily, show increased likelihood of reported behavioral problems and poor developmental outcomes 16

Starting conversations about media use early in the child's care is crucial, as poor screen use habits formed in young children are likely to be maintained over time, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics 16
Using resources such as the American Academy of Pediatrics Family Media Use Plan can help families self-assess use and set media goals 16