How much screen time is too much for my kids? This is a great question but the answer may not be as simple as we would like. For the youngest of children (under 2) the American Academy of Pediatrics discourages all screen time. As kids get older, they recommend limiting screen time to one or two hours a day. That sounds okay, if you are thinking of just TV watching, but when you consider all the other “screens” in our kids’ lives, one to two hours can be difficult. What’s important to remember is that kids tend to go through periods of heavy and light media use, but as long as there is balance with other activities, kids should be fine.

If you are concerned, pay attention to how your kids act during and after screen time. If they are using age-appropriate media, their behavior is positive and their screen time is balanced with screen free time, there is probably no need to worry.

[Image courtesy of Toca Boca]