Screen time Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

• How much time should kids spend online, if they can't attend school?

We recommend limiting the number of hours sitting at a computer or tablet to a minimum. As an alternative, you can provide online materials - for instance, worksheets to print out, instead of activities on a computer.

We also recommend sharing screen time with your children. Research from The Joan Gantz Cooney Center shows that sharing screen time with your child increases their opportunities to learn.

• Should I enroll my child in online classes?

Online classes can be a great idea if children can't attend school.

However, children can continue learning without a teacher. Below we've listed some activities that children can do from home and with minimal guidance:

Age 2-5:

• They can sing and dance.
• They can sort things.
• They can draw a story.

Age 5-8:

• They can read.
• They can build something with blocks and write about it.
• They can draw a building plan and construct the blocks with building blocks of whatever kind.

All of these activities will teach kids important skills for the 21st Century.

• How many hours of online classes should children attend?

Face to face time with a teacher is very valuable.

Depending on the child's age, attention span might be an issue. For instance, children under 5 might not be able to stay focused for a long time. In any case, we don't recommend children to spend more than 2 hours a day working with a teacher and we recommend the additional work or homework to be completed mostly away from the screen.

• So, how many hours of screen time are recommended?

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends the following:

• For children ages 2 to 5 years, limit screen use to 1 hour per day of high-quality programs. Parents should co-view media with children to help them understand what they are seeing and apply it to the world around them.
• For children ages 6 and older, place consistent limits on the time spent using media, and the types of media, and make sure media does not take the place of adequate sleep, physical activity and other behaviors essential to health.

You have more information on the Official APP Website.