Screen Time Under 5s: Finding the Right Balance

Screens are now a normal part of family life. From video calls with grandparents to watching a favourite programme, tablets, televisions and phones can all have a place in a child’s world. But when it comes to children under five, how much screen time is too much?

New guidance from Best Start in Life encourages parents and carers to think about how screens fit into their child’s day, while making sure they don’t replace the things young children need most: sleep, active play, conversation, exploration and warm, responsive relationships.

At Tops, this reflects something we see every day: young children learn through relationships and real-world experiences. Talking, playing, listening, exploring and interacting with trusted adults all provide valuable opportunities for children to develop socially, emotionally and cognitively.

How much screen time is recommended for under-5s?

The current Best Start in Life guidance recommends:

• Under 2s: Avoid screen time wherever possible, apart from shared activities such as video calls with family that encourage bonding, interaction and conversation.
• Children aged 2–5: Aim to keep total screen time to around one hour a day or less, where possible.

These recommendations aren’t about making parents feel guilty or suggesting screens must never be used. Instead, they’re about balance. A short episode of a favourite programme isn’t going to replace all the wonderful things a child does throughout their day. The important thing is making sure screens don’t crowd out opportunities for the experiences that support healthy development.

Why are real-life interactions so important?

From birth to age five, children’s brains are developing incredibly quickly. During these early years, everyday experiences help shape how children learn, communicate, build relationships and understand the world around them. This is why responsive interactions with adults are so important. A conversation at the dinner table, reading a story together, building a tower, singing a song, going for a walk or simply listening to your child talk about their day can all create valuable opportunities for learning.

At Tops, our Key Person Approach places relationships at the heart of early education. By developing strong, trusting relationships between children and their key person, we create a secure environment where children can feel confident to explore, communicate and learn. Find out more about how we teach at TOPS and the importance we place on creating meaningful relationships with every child.

It’s not just about the amount of screen time

When thinking about your child’s screen use, what they’re watching and how they’re watching it matters too. Best Start in Life recommends choosing content that is appropriate for young children and easy to follow. Parents and carers are also encouraged to use parental controls and avoid inappropriate content. Where possible, try watching with your child rather than leaving them to watch alone.

You might ask:

• “What do you think is going to happen?”
• “How do you think they are feeling?”
• “Which character do you like?”
• “Can you spot the dog?”

Suddenly, screen time can become another opportunity for conversation and connection… remember, you’re a role model too. Young children learn by watching the adults around them. That doesn’t mean parents and carers need to put their phones away every second of the day. We all have messages to answer, work to do and life to manage. But being mindful of our own screen use can make a difference. For example, you could try putting your phone away during:

• Mealtimes – giving everyone a chance to talk and connect.
• Playtime – allowing your child to have your attention while they’re exploring and learning.
• Bedtime – creating a calm routine centred around stories, cuddles and conversation.

Best Start in Life also recommends keeping bedrooms and mealtimes screen-free and avoiding screens for around an hour before bedtime.

What can we do instead of screen time?

📚 Read a story together

Reading supports language development while giving you a chance to talk about pictures, characters and emotions.

🧱 Build and create

Blocks, boxes, playdough, drawing and simple crafts encourage children to experiment, solve problems and express themselves.

🎵 Sing and make music

Songs, rhymes and dancing are fantastic ways to develop communication, memory, movement and confidence.

🌳 Get outside

A trip to the park, a walk around the garden or simply looking for leaves, insects or different colours can turn an ordinary day into an adventure.

💬 Talk about what’s around you

You don’t need to set aside special “learning time”. Talk while you’re cooking, getting dressed, travelling or tidying up together. These everyday conversations are incredibly valuable.

It’s all about balance

There will be days when your child watches more television than you’d planned. There will be busy mornings, rainy afternoons and moments when putting on a favourite programme gives everyone time to sit together and relax. That’s real family life, The important thing is to look at the bigger picture. Is your child getting plenty of opportunities to sleep, move, play, explore, communicate and spend time with the important adults in their life?

Are screens complementing their experiences rather than replacing them? If the answer is yes, you’re already thinking about screen time in the way that matters.