Department for Education and Department of Health and Social CareSource published 2026-03-26Source checked 2026-09-08
Family life is busy. Small changes can help make room for shared activities, without aiming for perfection. This is a summary of government guidance, not a Jan nursery policy or individual medical advice.
Make screen time a shared moment
- Under two: avoid screens, apart from shared activities that support bonding, interaction and conversation.
- Ages two to five: aim for no more than an hour a day.
- Keep mealtimes and the hour before bed free of screens.
- Choose calm, age-appropriate programmes. Avoid fast-paced, social-media-style videos and AI toys or tools for young children.
- Join in: watch together, talk about what you see and ask questions, instead of leaving your child to watch alone.
- Screen-based assistive technology for children with special educational needs and disabilities may need a different approach to time limits.
Try a little screen swap
Read together, draw, invent a pretend adventure, move outdoors or enjoy a simple family game. Pick something that fits your day.