What does "screen time" include?

• Watching television, videos, DVDs, playing with video games, using the computer...

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends:

• Children under 2 should watch no TV
• Children over the age of 2 should watch no more than 2 hours of quality programming a day (includes all entertainment media)

Why reduce screen time?

• The average American youth spends more time watching TV than any other activity except sleeping.
• Too much TV watching has been linked to:
  • Poor performance in school
  • Overweight
  • Poor dietary habits

To find out more, go to:

• TV and Children: Television Health and Development (PDF)
• American Academy of Pediatrics: Children, Adolescents, and Television Policy Statement
• The Importance of Play in Promoting Healthy Child Development and Maintaining Strong Parent-Child Bonds (PDF)
• Top 10 Ways to Reduce TV Watching in Your Home (PDF)
• Resources for Early Childhood Professionals
• Resources for Families