In today’s digital age, toddlers are growing up surrounded by screens, from tablets and smartphones to television. While technology offers incredible opportunities for learning and entertainment, parents and caregivers must establish and maintain healthy screen time habits for toddlers. The first few years of a child’s life are a period of rapid brain development, making the quality and quantity of screen exposure impact their overall well-being.
By following these guidelines, parents, caregivers, and pediatricians can work together to ensure responsible and age-appropriate screen usage for children, which aligns with the AAP’s recommendations.
- Choose High-Quality Content for Toddlers: For 18 to 24-month-olds, select high-quality programming or apps and use them together with your children.
- Avoid digital media (except video-chatting) for children under 24 months.
- For children aged 18 to 24 months, if introducing digital media, choose high-quality content and use it together with your child, avoiding solo use.
- Limit screen use to 1 hour per day of high-quality content for children aged 2 to 5, co-view with your children, help them understand what they are watching or doing, and connect it to their real-world experiences.
Tip: Easily set an integrated and custom timer in the Mighty Leaps app!
- Avoid fast-paced or violent programs and apps with excessive distractions.
- Turn off screens when not in use.
- Avoid using media as the sole calming strategy for your child. Seek alternative methods for calming.
- Monitor and test apps before your child uses them, play together, and discuss the content.
- Keep bedrooms, mealtimes, and parent-child playtimes screen-free.
- Remove screens 1 hour before bedtime to promote healthy night sleep.
In the digital era, screen time is an inevitable part of a toddler’s environment. However, the key lies in how it is integrated into their daily lives. Healthy screen time habits are crucial for supporting cognitive, social, and emotional development.
Parents and caregivers play a central role in shaping these habits, ensuring that screen time is a positive and enriching experience for toddlers. By striking a balance, promoting active engagement, and setting age-appropriate limits, parents can empower their toddlers to navigate the digital landscape with mindfulness, fostering a healthy and holistic approach to technology from an early age.
Download Mighty Leaps to set up healthy screen time limits today!
