TV and toddlers, how much is too much?
We live in a world where screens are king. Between TV, phones, computers and tablets, you could live your life in front a screen. Our kids are exposed to more screen time and more screen opportunities than ever before. So many parents ask themselves, how much is too much for a toddler?
Government recommendations for toddlers and TV
In their recent 'Get Up and Grow' initiative, the Australian Federal Government released their recommended TV and screen times for children aged five years and under. They said that toddlers under two should not have any screen time at all. Their reasons include:
- TV reduces the amount of time toddlers have for active play, social contact with others and chances for development.
- TV may affect the development of a full range of eye movement
- TV may reduce the length of time you toddler can stay focussed
For children two to five years, the Government recommends just one hour a day of watching TV and partaking in screen-based activities.
The CSRIO is a little more flexible and says that children should have no more than two hours of screen time per day. They say studies suggest that toddlers who have more than two hours of TV screen time are more likely to:
- be overweight
- be less physically active
- drink more sugary drinks
- snack on foods higher in fat, salt and sugar
- have fewer social interactions
How TV time affects development
Kimberley O'Brien, Principal Psychologist at Quirky Kid, says that while she would like young children to have no screen time at all this isn't always possible. She suggests that toddlers have no more than around 1.5 hours per day of TV time.
"This age is an time for developing skills and it's time lost if kids are watching screens," says Kimberley. "Also, be aware that screen time includes time in front of phones, iPods, iPads and computers. So it's very easy to go over the amount of time a child should be in front of a screen."
Setting limits for toddlers and TV
Studies have shown if a parent sets limits on TV and screen time children will often watch less TV than the time limit. By setting a time limit on your kids you can stop them from becoming too reliant on screens for entertainment or to cure boredom. Instead, they can do other quiet activities such as puzzles, drawing or looking at books.
Television isn't all bad, though. Watching an appropriate children's show with your child can become an educational experience for them as well as a bonding time for you both. An appropriate half-hour kids' TV show can also give you time to prepare the dinner safely without them underfoot.
Read more about parenting and toddlers
- Television and kids
- Tips for kids and TV watching
- TV news and violence: How does it affect my child?
- The pitfalls of kids and TV
- Kids, classifications and TV
- Tips for kids and TV watching
- How much screen time is OK for children?
This article was written by Corinne Draper for Kidspot, Australia's leading toddler resource for parents. Sources include: CSIRO and Early Childhood Australia
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