On 27 March 2026, the UK Government released important new guidance about screen time for children under five. Its aim is to support healthy screen habits for young children. That’s incredibly important during the early years, with 90% of children’s brain growth happening before they’re five. Today’s article explores the topic, presents the new advice, and clarifies why it is being introduced at this time. So, let’s take a look now at our guide to the New Screen Time Guidelines for Under-fives.
“A large amount of screen time is linked with negative effects on children’s health and development. It can affect social, emotional, language and brain development, sleep, eyesight and healthy weight.” — beststartinlife.gov.uk
The New Advice is Evidence-Based
Importantly, the new guidance is evidence-based, having its roots in research and recommendations provided by ‘EYSTAG’, the Early Years Screen Time Advisory Group. The group, co-chaired jointly by the Children’s Commissioner and former Chief Scientific Adviser for the Department of Education, was commissioned in early 2026 to make recommendations in relation to screen use by children under five. They did so, having undertaken a thorough review of the scientific evidence and expert advice available, along with input from parents, children, and other stakeholders. Findings from the 50-page EYSTAG report made recommendations for both the government and parents, and formed the basis of the government’s new guidance released this month.
“Screen use for the under-fives should always be understood within the wider context of their overall learning and development experience, complementing, rather than replacing, the vital role of face-to-face interaction, play, and exploration.” — EYSTAG report
Key Recommendations from the New Screen Time Guidance for Under-5s
The government’s new screen time guidance for children under five, released in late March 2026, includes the following key recommendations:
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- Parents and carers should limit the total screen time of young children where possible.
- Screen time for children under the age of 2 should be avoided completely, except where it is a shared family activity* that fosters interactions, conversations, and closer bonds.
- Screen time for children aged between 2 and 5 should be limited to a maximum of 1 hour per day — ideally less.
* Examples provided for ‘shared family activities’ include video calls with family or friends and perusing family photos together.
“Whilst high-quality digital content can support early learning, it cannot substitute for the social, emotional, and physical experiences that come from real-world engagement.” — EYSTAG report
Content Types Suitable for Under-5s
The new government guidance also includes some specific recommendations regarding the type of content that’s most suitable for young children. They suggest that content for under-fives should:
- Have a slow pace, with content that’s predictable;
- Be safe in nature (parental controls will help);
- Avoid social media completely;
- Avoid access to AI tools, AI-enabled devices and chat apps, chatbots, smart speakers, and interactive robots.
With regard to the slower pace suggestion, fewer scene changes, simple stories, and slow speaking are best, they say. Dialogue and characters’ emotions should be clear enough for little ones to understand.
“Together, slow pacing and repetition help to build understanding in younger viewers.” — EYSTAG report
Additional Recommendations for Families
The new government guidance includes some additional, common-sense recommendations for parents and carers:
- They suggest leading by example, because children often copy behaviours of adults. So, mindfulness around time spent on phones while around children is paramount.
- Avoiding lengthy periods spent on phones and screens will also mean that parents and carers are, rightly, able to be present and attentive towards children. That’s important, particularly when they’re very young and require support, security, good role models, and all the benefits of shared family moments.
- Clear rules and boundaries should be set around screen use for under-fives.
- Rather than spending significant time around screens, young children should have ample high-quality time available for more social interactions and play activities.
- There should be areas of the home, and times of the day, that are completely screen-free — bedrooms and meal times, for example.
- Likewise, it’s important for screens to be ‘off’ in the background, otherwise they will distract children from high-quality time with family and more beneficial activities spent in the ‘real’ world.
“Who uses screens with children, and how they use them, matters. Responsive interaction between parents and children when using screens can prevent harms and promote development for young children” — Recommendation from the EYSTAG report
Learn More
We hope you found our synopsis of the new guidance for screen use for under-fives interesting and useful. You can find out more, including advice relating to children with SEND, by visiting the full government guidance here.
Related: Addictive Social Media AlgorithmsIn related news this month, a Los Angeles jury found Meta and Google both guilty¹ of causing harm via intentionally built addictive social media platforms according to The Observer. The article goes on to say that a New Mexico jury also recently concluded that Meta’s platforms endangered children, exposing them to sexual material and predators. In light of such findings, the UK Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, has stated that the government plans to ban the use of ‘addictive algorithms’ in social media apps. This goes hand in hand with the recent decision to launch a 3-month consultation for a possible social media ban for children under 16. Such a ban was introduced in Australia in December 2025. |
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1. Meta owns Instagram, Facebook & WhatsApp. Google owns YouTube. At the time of writing, both are considering a legal appeal against the guilty verdict.
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