Good & Bad Screen Time for Kids: What Is It and How Can It Affect Your Child?

Category: Uncategorized
Created At: 2024-05-30
Screens are everywhere - from tablets & TVs to smartwatches - and our children are growing up surrounded by them. While screen time can be enriching and educational, it also brings risks when overused or mismanaged.
Understanding the difference between good and bad screen time, and knowing how much is too much, is crucial for helping children grow up healthy, engaged, and balanced.
What Is Good Screen Time?
Good screen time refers to digital activities that promote learning, creativity, and positive social interaction. It’s not just about keeping kids busy - it’s about making sure the content they engage with supports their development.
- Educational Content
Apps, videos, and games that teach reading, maths, science, and problem-solving are great tools. Platforms like Khan Academy and interactive e-books can boost a child’s curiosity and knowledge.
According to the Canadian Paediatric Society, interactive apps and e-books can build early literacy and foster attention in young children (CPS, 2022).
- Creative Tools
Drawing apps, music programs, and even child-friendly coding platforms (like Scratch) encourage children to use screens as a tool for making, not just watching. Creative tools help kids explore ideas, build confidence, and express themselves.
Check out Story Spark’s digital story library for child-led storytelling ideas that promote literacy and imagination.
- Social Connections
Video calls with family, collaborative games, and classroom platforms help children stay socially engaged. When monitored and age-appropriate, these tools can enhance communication and empathy.
- Moderate, Supervised Use
When screen time is shared with parents or caregivers - watching together, co-playing, or discussing content - it becomes more meaningful and safe.
What Is Bad Screen Time?
Bad screen time includes activities that are passive, excessive, unmonitored, or inappropriate. It can harm physical, emotional, and cognitive development, especially when it replaces physical play, sleep, or social interaction.
- Overuse
Even educational content can become problematic when consumed for hours on end. Long sessions can lead to issues like eye strain, poor posture, and disrupted sleep.
- Inappropriate Content
Unfiltered access to violent, aggressive, or adult-themed material can negatively impact mental health and behaviour. Social media platforms without supervision can expose kids to cyberbullying or comparison-based anxiety.
- Passive Consumption
Watching hours of unengaging content - such as autoplayed videos or idle scrolling - offers little educational or emotional value. Children aren’t interacting or thinking critically; they’re just zoning out.
- Lack of Supervision
Leaving children alone with screens, especially younger ones, increases the risk of exposure to harmful content. Parental involvement is key to context, safety, and support.
How Much Screen Time Is Too Much?
What is a healthy amount of screen time for my child?
The World Health Organization (WHO) advises "Children 2–4 years of age should have no more than 1 hour of sedentary screen time; less is better. For children under 2 years, screen time is not recommended." WHO, 2019.
The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) recommends:
- Under 2 years: no screen time, except for video chatting
- 2–5 years: no more than 1 hour of high-quality screen time per day
- 6 years and older: consistent limits; screen time should not interfere with sleep, physical activity, or real-world interaction