Kids Screen Time Calculator
Find the recommended daily screen time limit for your child based on AAP (American Academy of Pediatrics) guidelines by age.
How Screen Time Guidelines Are Calculated
Screen time recommendations are based on developmental research from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and WHO, adjusted for the child’s age and type of content.
Recommended Maximum Daily Screen Time:
| Age Group | Recommended Limit | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Under 18 months | 0 (except video calls) | Brain development critical phase |
| 18–24 months | 30 min max | With parent co-viewing |
| 2–5 years | 1 hour/day | High-quality content only |
| 6–12 years | 1.5–2 hours/day | Excluding schoolwork |
| 13–17 years | 2–3 hours/day | Non-school recreational use |
Remaining Free Time Formula:
Healthy Screen Time = Total Waking Hours − Sleep − School − Physical Activity − Social Time
Worked Example — 8-year-old, weekend day:
- Waking hours: 14 hours
- School (weekend): 0 hours
- Physical activity (recommended 60 min/day): 1 hour
- Meals and hygiene: 1.5 hours
- Family/social: 2 hours
- Remaining: 9.5 hours — of which no more than 2 hours should be recreational screens
Quality Factors Matter:
- Interactive, educational content (coding, reading apps): less concerning
- Passive consumption (YouTube shorts, social media): more harmful per minute
- Co-viewing with discussion reduces negative effects significantly
Physical Warning Signs of Excess Screen Time: eye strain, headaches, poor sleep, reduced outdoor time, irritability when screen removed.
How we build and check this calculator
This calculator runs entirely in your browser, so the numbers you enter stay on your device. The math behind it is written by hand and tested against worked examples and standard references before the page goes live.
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