Q: How much screen time is appropriate for a 4- to 5-year-old?

Skills

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), young children should be limited to less than two hours of screen time a day. It is important to highlight that screen time not only refers to watching television, but time on the computer, tablet, and electronic games. The AAP also recommends parents make children’s bedrooms a “screen-free” zone since research has shown that children who have televisions in their bedroom are more likely to be overweight. In addition to limiting screen time, it is important to review and monitor what your child is watching and playing.
Jennie Ito, Ph.D.

Child Development Expert

Jennie Ito is a mother of two and a child development consultant who specializes in children’s play and toys. Before becoming a consultant for LeapFrog, she was an intern at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC, and later worked as a content expert for the Association of Children’s Museum’s “Playing for Keeps” Play Initiative. Jennie earned her doctorate degree in developmental psychology at Queen’s University in Ontario, Canada.