Screen Time and Your Baby (0-2 years old)

Important information:

With the rise of smartphones, tablets, and TVs, managing your child’s screen time is more important than ever. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) discourages media use and screen time for children under two years old. Some apps and shows claim that they can make babies smarter, but this isn't true. Screen time is not the best way for babies to learn because:

• Babies learn best through real-life interactions and play with people.

• When you play with babies, you can adjust your voice and the things you show them based on their reactions. Shows and apps do not change in response to babies' cues.

• Babies learn language by listening to real people for months before they speak their first word. They learn much better from live interactions than from screens.

• Babies may be attracted to screens because of their bright lights and colors, but they do not understand what they see.

• Babies learn by choosing what to focus on. They often look at a toy briefly and then look away. But the bright lights and colors on the screen make it hard for babies to look away.

Instructions to support your child’s development:

• Your voice: Talk, sing, and read to your baby. They love hearing your voice and enjoy familiar songs and stories.

• Your face: Make eye contact with your baby, play peek-a-boo, stick out your tongue, and make funny faces. Your baby may start copying you.

• Your touch: Hold, cuddle, and kiss your baby. Consider learning infant massage techniques and trying different play positions.

• Toys: Introduce one toy at a time, like a mobile or a rattle, and observe your baby's reactions. Babies enjoy short play sessions. No toy should be used for more than 15 minutes at a time.

Contact your CHOP healthcare team with questions or concerns.

Reviewed July 2024 by Casey Hoffman, PhD