toddler
Welcome to the screen age! It turns out screens aren’ t the enemy, but bad habits are. Is your child’ s digital diet nourishing or draining?"
It feels as though screens are everywhere nowadays. From tablets in pre-primary school to smartphones in high school, digital media now shapes the way children learn, play and connect. The question isn’ t screens or no screens – it’ s how much, and when.
“ Due to the increasing types of smart devices available, the American Academy of Pediatrics( AAP) has started to move away from defining which devices could contribute, rather bringing attention to the broader‘ digital ecosystem’ the child lives in,” explains Dr Andrew Ferreirinha, a paediatrician practising at Mediclinic Kloof.
The research is clear: screen time itself isn’ t the enemy. It’ s how we use screens that determines whether they help or harm.
Why screen time matters
A child’ s brain develops rapidly in the first years of life. Real-world play, conversation and movement build natural connections that screens just can’ t replace. Too much passive screen time displaces sleep, exercise, face-to-face connections and hands-on exploration.
At the same time, high-quality co-viewed content can teach letters, problem-solving and empathy – just think of an episode of Ms Rachel. In fact, it’ s for this reason that the AAP updated its screen time guidelines in 2026 to look beyond strict, numbered time limits, focusing instead on the quality, context, and conversation surrounding digital media.
How much screen time is okay?
For younger children, the WHO and AAP have similar recommendations, explains the doctor:
• Under 2 years old: No screen time is recommended. If using screens between 18 and 24 months, then the child should not be watching on their own. High-quality content should be chosen and watched together as a family.
• 2 – 5 years old: A maximum of one hour per day of screen time. Less is better. This should be high-quality content and watched with the family.
• 6 + years old to teens: Guidelines have moved away from strict time limits, rather focusing on reducing the impact on daily activities and function. Screen time should have consistent family-set limits, ensuring that sleep, physical activity, schoolwork, and offline relationships are protected.
• The guidelines for adults are less clear, but importantly, as for older children and teens, screen time should not affect daily functioning.
The rule of thumb, says Dr Ferreirinha,“ is if a child is sleeping well, performing well academically, staying physically active, and maintaining good relationships, then their current screen time is likely not a problem”.
However, it’ s important to remember that all children are different, and another child with the same number of hours of screen time may have problems in these areas, in which case they will definitely need to reduce their screen usage.
62 www. babysandbeyond. co. za