What Is Screen Time?

Ages 3-5 Simple Explanation

You know how after you eat a yummy treat, your parents say 'that's enough sweets for today'? Screen time works the same way. Watching shows or playing on a tablet is fun, but your parents want to make sure you do other fun stuff too, like playing outside or building with blocks.

You know how your body needs different foods to grow strong, like fruits and veggies and not just cookies? Your brain is the same way. It needs different activities, not just screen time, to grow healthy. Playing pretend, reading books, and running around outside are all brain food!

When your parents say 'time to turn off the screen,' they're not trying to be mean. They know that too much screen time can make it hard for you to fall asleep at night and can make you feel grumpy. They want you to feel your best!

There are so many fun things to do when the screen is off! You can draw pictures, play with friends, build a fort, look at bugs in the yard, or help cook dinner. Sometimes the most fun things don't need any screen at all.

Ages 6-8 More Detail

Screen time means the total time you spend each day using devices with screens, like watching TV, playing video games, using a tablet, or watching videos on a phone. Some screen time is for school or learning, and some is just for fun.

Your parents set screen time limits because too much time on screens can cause problems. If you watch videos right before bed, the bright light from the screen can trick your brain into thinking it's daytime, which makes it harder to fall asleep. And not getting enough sleep makes everything harder the next day.

Sitting and staring at a screen for a long time also means you're not doing other important things, like running around outside, playing with friends, reading books, or using your imagination. Your body and brain both need those things to grow strong and healthy.

Not all screen time is equal. Watching a show together with your family and talking about it is different from scrolling mindlessly through random videos alone. Using a computer to work on a school project is different from playing games for hours. The kind of screen time matters, not just the amount.

A good way to think about screen time limits is that they help you have a balanced day. Just like you wouldn't eat only dessert for every meal, you wouldn't want to spend every waking hour on a screen. Limits help make sure there's room in your day for all the other things that matter.

Ages 9-12 Full Explanation

Screen time is a term for all the time you spend in front of any kind of screen, whether it's a phone, tablet, computer, TV, or gaming console. In today's world, screens are everywhere, and it's easy to rack up hours without even realizing it. Many kids average six to eight hours of screen time per day outside of school, which is a lot when you think about how many waking hours you actually have.

The reason screen time limits exist isn't that screens are evil. It's that too much of anything crowds out everything else. If you spend four hours after school on your phone, that's four hours you didn't spend playing sports, hanging out with friends face to face, working on hobbies, or just being bored and letting your mind wander. And boredom is actually important because it's often when you come up with your most creative ideas.

There's also a physical health side to it. Lots of screen time usually means lots of sitting, which isn't great for your body. Staring at screens for long stretches can cause eye strain and headaches. And the blue light from screens can mess with your sleep if you use them close to bedtime, because it tells your brain to stay awake when it should be winding down.

Social media and video platforms are especially easy to overdo because they're designed to keep you watching. Autoplay, infinite scroll, and notification pings are all features built to grab your attention and not let go. Understanding that these features exist to keep you hooked gives you power to resist them.

Finding a good balance looks different for everyone, but here are some ideas: set a daily limit and use a timer app if needed, keep screens out of your bedroom at night, take breaks every 30 to 60 minutes, and make sure you do something active every day. Some families have rules like 'no phones at the dinner table' or 'screens off an hour before bed,' which can really help.

The goal isn't to eliminate screens from your life. That's not realistic and wouldn't even make sense since screens are how we learn, connect, and have fun in the modern world. The goal is to be in charge of your screen time instead of letting your screen time be in charge of you.