What to do at each age
| Age | Current starting point | Try at home |
|---|---|---|
| Birth through 18 months | Keep screen use very limited, apart from video chats. The AAP infant guide does not recommend routine cartoons or nursery-rhyme videos. AAP infant guide. | Talk, sing, read and play face to face. Join any video chat. |
| Over 18 months to under 2 years | The AAP clinician Q&A, updated October 8, 2026, gives no more than one hour a day for toddlers over 18 months. Choose high-quality content and talk together while it is on. AAP infant and toddler Q&A. | Choose a brief viewing time together, then move to books or toys. |
| 2–5 years | Limit screen use to one hour or less a day of high-quality programming. Watch together. The AAP still states this amount for ages 2 to 5; use the preschool guide for content and routines too. AAP, screen limits for ages 2 to 5. | Make a short playlist yourself, turn off autoplay, and keep a reading-based bedtime routine. |
| 6–9 years | Balance media with sleep, homework, play and friendships. The AAP school-age guide covers ages 5–10 and says children at this stage are not ready for social media accounts. AAP school-age guide. | Watch or play together and put devices away for bedtime. |
| 10–14 years | Keep regular, open conversations about online life and involve your child in choosing content. The AAP young-teen guide emphasizes connection and growing independence. AAP young-teen guide. | Ask what they are watching and how online interactions feel. Listen before deciding what needs to change. |
| 15–17 years | Stay involved with ongoing, caring conversations. Give more independence as your teen shows responsibility; do not make a screen-time number the whole plan. AAP older-teen guide. | Review boundaries together and help them think through troubling content or conflicts. |
What changed in the guidance?
The AAP's current 5 Cs guide goes beyond the older two-hour rule. That does not mean unlimited screens for young children. Its infant and toddler clinician Q&A, updated October 8, 2026, still recommends very limited infant use and gives a maximum of one hour daily for toddlers older than 18 months. It also recommends talking with the child while media is on and offering alternatives.
The table uses the AAP's one-hour limit for ages 2 to 5. The preschool guide adds advice about content, routines and calming. The school-age row starts at 6 to keep the age bands from overlapping, then splits before the young-teen band. These are starting points for a conversation with your pediatrician, not a personalized medical plan.
Make a plan for your own house
Create an AAP Family Media Plan together. The AAP Family Media Plan guide recommends boundaries for everyone, including adults. Pick a screen-free dinner table, keep screens out of homework and bedtime, and turn off autoplay and unneeded notifications. Use media together so you know what your child is seeing. Make room for books, outdoor play, games and hobbies, then review the plan as your child grows.
Put that into practice with the family media plan, phone parking spot or screen-swap box.
Dads also ask
Does the AAP still recommend two hours for every child?
No. Its 5 Cs guide explains why the old two-hour rule does not cover everything families need to consider. Content, development, sleep, relationships and other activities matter too. AAP, moving beyond the two-hour rule. Checked Oct 26, 2026.
Does moving beyond time limits mean toddlers can watch without a limit?
No. The current AAP infant and toddler Q&A recommends limiting use and still gives a maximum of one hour daily for toddlers older than 18 months. Talk with your pediatrician about your child's needs. AAP infant and toddler Q&A. Checked Oct 26, 2026.
What goes into a family media plan?
Set screen-free times and places, choose suitable content, turn off autoplay and notifications, and leave room for other activities. Include rules for adults and revisit the plan as your child grows. AAP, making a family media plan. Checked Oct 26, 2026.
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