Screen time guidance for children under 5
Managing children’s access to screens is an area that many parents and carers find challenging. New advice on screen time for young children published in March 2026 provides accessible guidance which has been developed with input from parents and a panel of paediatric experts to support families with that process.
New advice for parents and carers on screen time for young children
March 2026
🔗 Baby and toddler screen time guidance – Best Start in Life
“Screens are part of everyday life for young families. With 98% of two-year-olds watching screens daily, avoiding them altogether isn't realistic — but managing them well can make a difference to how young children grow and develop.” DfE Education Blog, March 2026.
Key recommendations:
- For children under two, avoid screen time other than for shared activities that encourage bonding, interaction and conversation.
- For two to five-year-olds, aim for no more than one hour of screen time a day and keep screens out of mealtimes and the hour before bed.
- Slow-paced, age-appropriate programmes can support early childhood development better than fast-paced, social media-style videos.
- Avoid young children using screens alone.
- ‘Lead by example’ in terms of own use of screens.
"Ninety per cent of children's development happens before the age of five."
The guidance also suggests ‘swaps’ to help build healthier habits — like reading a bedtime story instead of watching a programme before sleep, and how the guidance may apply to children with SEND.
For those who wish to read more about the evidence that underpins this guidance, the 50-page independent report published by the Early Years Screen Time Advisory Group can be accessed here: Screen use by children aged under 5 - GOV.UK
Read our other Spotlight on Early Years Evidence articles here.