Recommended Screen Time by Age: The Actual Guidance
Updated 2026-09-12
Official guidance on screen time from bodies like the World Health Organization (WHO) provides specific numerical limits only for children under age five. For older children and teens, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) advises setting consistent limits that protect sleep, physical activity, and family time, rather than prescribing a universal daily hour count.
This guide summarizes the actual recommendations from the AAP and the WHO, explains why there is no single number for older children, and provides illustrative examples for turning that guidance into a practical weekly schedule for your family.
Set locked hours for school and bedtime, and let kids earn extra minutes with tasks.
Find a screen-time starting point for your child's age
Starting point for a 12-year-old on a School day
What the guidance says
AAP: no set number for children and teens from six; consistent limits that protect sleep, physical activity and school. UK Chief Medical Officers: no evidence-based limit; leave phones outside the bedroom at bedtime, keep meals screen-free and take a break after a couple of hours. NHS: no laptops, tablets or phones in the 30 to 60 minutes before bed.
Sleep to protect first (AASM, endorsed by the AAP): 9 to 12 hours per 24 hours
Suggested locked hours
| Window | Days | Time |
|---|---|---|
| School | Monday to Friday | 08:00–15:00 |
| Bedtime | Every day | 21:00–07:00 |
| Dinner | Every day | 18:00–19:00 |
Suggested KlusQuest settings
- Daily free minutes: 60
- Coins to minutes: 1 coin = 1 minute (the app default)
- Typical task: 10 to 20 coins, so one approved chore or homework session buys 10 to 20 extra minutes
A starting point, not medical advice. The AAP and the UK Chief Medical Officers deliberately give no single number after age five; sleep, school and movement come first and screen time is what is left.
Set the same in KlusQuest: Family → child → Screen time.
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What the official guidance says by age
- Infants (under 1 year): Screen time is not recommended. — The WHO guidelines state that screen time is not recommended for infants. Instead, they encourage interactive floor-based play and 12 to 17 hours of good quality sleep, depending on age.
- 1 to 2 years: No screens for 1-year-olds; up to one hour for 2-year-olds. — For 1-year-olds, the WHO still does not recommend sedentary screen time. For 2-year-olds, sedentary screen time should be no more than one hour per day; less is better. Engaging in reading and storytelling with a caregiver is encouraged, along with 11 to 14 hours of sleep.
- 3 to 4 years: No more than one hour per day. — The WHO recommends that children in this age group have no more than one hour of sedentary screen time daily, again noting that less is better. This should be balanced with at least 180 minutes of physical activity and 10 to 13 hours of good quality sleep.
- School-age children and teens: No universal limit. — The AAP does not prescribe a universal daily hour limit for all children or teens. The guidance emphasizes quality, context, and balance, advising families to prioritize adequate sleep, physical activity, and to create a family media plan.
Why there's no simple number for older kids
The AAP updated its guidance because the relationship between use duration and well-being is complex. The context of screen use matters more than the raw number. The quality of the content and the way it fits into a child's day are more important than a simple total.
The current approach is about priorities. First, ensure children get enough sleep. Second, ensure at least 60 minutes of physical activity per day, per NHS guidelines. After accounting for school, meals, and homework, screen time can fit into the remaining free time.
A starting point for your family's schedule
To help you apply this guidance, the examples below provide a starting point based on the recommendations from health authorities. Every family is different, so use these schedules as an illustrative guide to establishing locked hours for key activities.
From guidance to a daily schedule: examples
| Age Group | Weekday Example | Weekend Example | Key Considerations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6–9 years | 60 minutes | 90 minutes | Protect sleep. Lock devices before bedtime. School and dinner hours should be screen-free. |
| 10–12 years | 90 minutes | 120 minutes | Prioritize sleep and 60 minutes of physical activity. Involve them in setting rules to encourage buy-in. |
| 13–15 years | 120 minutes | 180 minutes | Acknowledge the social role of their devices while setting clear boundaries for school nights. |
Frequently asked questions
How much screen time should a 10-year-old have?
There is no universal limit for school-age children. Health guidance recommends prioritizing sleep and 60 minutes of physical activity first. The explicitly illustrative family examples above show 90 minutes on a school day, but this is a family decision rather than a clinical recommendation.
Does homework on a screen count towards the limit?
That is a family decision to make together. Families often do not count time spent on schoolwork towards entertainment limits. Device settings like Apple's Screen Time can be configured to leave educational apps available. Keep in mind that Downtime blocks apps completely when 'Block at Downtime' is enabled, which is distinct from App Limits that set usage durations.
What did the AAP previously recommend?
Older guidelines suggested specific hour limits for older children, but the AAP updated its position because the relationship between use duration and well-being is complex. Current guidance emphasizes the quality and context of media use rather than prescribing a universal limit for teens.
How can I enforce these limits without a constant fight?
Create a family media plan together so the rules are clear and agreed upon. Using KlusQuest allows kids to earn extra minutes with tasks; coins buy minutes after task approval. Ending a locked window does not itself grant a new earned session, as schedules and family locks override earned time. Also note that remote lock requests require delivery to the child's device, so immediate locks of offline devices are not guaranteed.
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