How Much is Too Much Screen Time for Kids?
A report has been released by the World Health Organization concerning young children's sleep and physical activity. They also discuss the amount of time children under five should spend looking at a screen. Long story short, it isn't a lot.
ABC News reports, "...[E]xperts suggested is that children under the age of five should get no more than one hour of 'sedentary' screen time, adding that 'less is better.'" A sedentary lifestyle for children, in general, is not beneficial to their health; whether or not that time is spent behind a screen. The W.H.O. urges parents to make sure their kids are more active.
Not only will getting in more physical activity and spending less time behind a screen benefit their physical health, but also their mental health.
The report by the W.H.O. broke down the maximum amount of screen time by age group. According to the report: infants to a year old should not spend any time behind a screen and up to an hour of screen time for 2-5 year olds.
The article by ABC also noted, "Children between one- and five-years-old should spend at least 180 minutes a day in various types of physical activity spread throughout the day, WHO suggested, adding that more is better."