Every family negotiates screen time, usually one more episode at a time, and most parents wonder whether they’re getting it right. So how much screen time is OK? Here are Australia’s official screen time guidelines for each age, in their exact words, what counts and what doesn’t, how classifications help you choose shows, and practical ways to set limits your child will actually stick to.
How much screen time is recommended in Australia?
The Australian Government’s 24-hour movement guidelines set daily limits on screen time for each age. They’re national, so they’re the same in every state and territory.
| Age | What the guidelines say |
|---|---|
| Under 2 | “no screen time for children under 2 years” |
| 2 to 5 years | “no more than 1 hour per day”, and for preschoolers “less is better” |
| 5 to 17 years | “no more than 2 hours of sedentary recreational screen time per day. This does not include screen time needed for school work.” |
The guidelines explain why: “Screen time during childhood can have long-term impacts on a child’s development.” For the early years, they add that long periods sitting and using screens unsupervised can lead children to “develop language skills later” and “have shorter attention spans”.
What counts as screen time?
The NSW Government defines screen time as “any time spent in front of a: computer, online or electronic game, mobile or smart phone, tablet or iPad, TV.” So yes, TV counts.
The two-hour limit for school-age children is about sedentary recreational screen time: sitting or lying down, for fun. Screen time needed for school work isn’t included. For under-fives, the guidelines say any screen time you allow “should be educational. This means watching with your child, talking about the content, and using it as a chance to help your child understand the world around them.”
Is two hours a target?
No, it’s an upper limit. Australia’s eSafety Commissioner goes further and says “There is no magic figure.” The right amount depends on “your child’s age and maturity, the kind of content they are consuming, their learning needs and your family routine.” eSafety suggests asking: “is online time getting in the way of their sleep and exercise? Is it impacting on their face-to-face connections with family and friends?”
What children do on a screen matters as much as how long. eSafety describes quality screen time as screens “used interactively or jointly with friends or family”, and low-quality time as “Passive scrolling, persuasive features, TV or games playing in the background.” Our post on screen time that helps has ideas for keeping it calm, short and shared.
Signs your child might be getting too much
eSafety lists changes that could be “a warning to check screen time”, including:
- “Lower interest in social activities like meeting friends or playing sport”
- “Tiredness, sleep disturbance, headaches, eye strain”
- “Extreme anger when being asked to take a break from online activity”
- “Becoming withdrawn from friends and family”.
The Raising Children Network adds a physical one: holding a screen close to the eyes for a long time “can cause sore eyes and headaches.” If you notice changes like these, eSafety suggests gently trying to find out why, as there may be other things going on, such as friendship difficulties. Your child’s school may be able to help, and so can a counselling or online support service.
How do I choose shows for my child?
Australian classifications are the quickest guide. According to Australian Classification:
- G (General) is “very mild in impact” and “suitable for everyone”, though it “can have content that may scare very young children.”
- PG (Parental Guidance) is “mild in impact” and “can contain content that a child may find confusing or upsetting and require the guidance of a parent or guardian.”
- M (Mature) is “not recommended for children under the age of 15.”
These ratings and their consumer advice appear on streaming services, game storefronts and packaging, and many streaming services and devices let you block content by rating. On commercial free-to-air TV, the ACMA explains that C (children’s) and P (preschool children’s) programs are “designed specifically to meet children’s needs and interests.”
Ads deserve a mention too. The Raising Children Network says “it’s important for your child to learn that advertisements are trying to make you buy something.” Children aged 7 to 11 can understand that, but might not question what ads are doing, so talk about them: “What’s the product in this advertisement? What is it for? Who is it for?”
How to set screen time limits that stick
- Make the plan together. “Young people are more likely to respond to rules they have contributed to and see as being fair and consistent,” says eSafety. The Raising Children Network adds that family rules work best when they apply to everyone, “including you.”
- Make it predictable. “For young children, specific days and times are more helpful,” says eSafety.
- Build in moving breaks. The guidelines say long periods of sitting should be broken up “as often as possible”, and recommend at least 60 minutes a day of activity that makes the heart beat faster. A timer that ends with something active works well.
- Give a warning. eSafety suggests a “‘15-minutes to switch-off’ warning”, or spending the final five minutes playing together to find a natural stopping point.
- Screens off before bed. The guidelines recommend “avoiding screen time 1 hour before sleep” and “keeping screens out of the bedroom”. Our guide to how much sleep children need explains why.
- Don’t use screens as punishment. eSafety says this “may inflate its importance to children.”
Parental controls and device settings can back up your plan, as our guide to setting up an iPad for kids shows. For keeping young children safe once they’re online, see how to talk to your child about online safety.
What children learn about screens at school
- In Victoria, in Levels 3 and 4 children “explore recommendations about physical activity and sedentary behaviours, and discuss strategies to achieve the recommendations” (VC2HP4M07). One example is exploring the screen time recommendations in the 24-hour movement guidelines “and developing a plan so they can meet these recommendations”. They also look at health messages in sources including “TV shows and advertisements” (VC2HP4P09), and in Digital Technologies they “explore and describe a range of digital systems and their peripherals” (VC2TDI4S01).
- In the Australian Curriculum, the Years 3 and 4 content description for exploring physical activity and sedentary recommendations has the same wording (AC9HP4M06).
KidStudy’s Year 3 Coding lesson Screens and TV covers what G and PG mean, the TV remote as an input (power, volume, channel and pause), healthy habits like sitting back from the screen, moving breaks and screens off before bed, the two-hour guideline, and telling ads from shows. Its home activity, Our screen plan, has families find the G and PG marks, plan moving breaks and a screens-off time, and stick the plan near the TV. KidStudy’s apps for children also pause for a 20-second eye break after 20 minutes on screen.
Questions parents ask
How much screen time should a 5-year-old have?
Australia’s guidelines say no more than 1 hour a day for children aged 2 to 5, and no more than 2 hours of sitting screen time for fun for children aged 5 to 17. For a 5-year-old, less is better.
How much screen time should a 7-year-old have?
No more than 2 hours a day of sedentary recreational screen time, not counting screen time needed for school work. It’s a limit, not a target.
Does school work count as screen time?
Not towards the two-hour limit. The guidelines say it “does not include screen time needed for school work.”
Is watching TV screen time?
Yes. Screen time includes TV, tablets, phones, computers and electronic games.
What does PG mean in Australia?
Parental Guidance. PG content is mild in impact but can contain things a child may find confusing or upsetting, so a parent’s guidance is recommended.
Should kids have screens in their bedroom?
The national guidelines recommend keeping screens out of the bedroom, and eSafety suggests charging devices overnight somewhere your child can’t reach.
Sources
- Recommendations for children and young people (5 to 17 years), Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing
- Recommendations for infants, toddlers and preschoolers (birth to 5 years), Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing
- Screen time guidelines, NSW Government
- Screen time and Navigating screen time: tools for today’s families, eSafety Commissioner
- School-age screen time: tips for balance, Raising Children Network
- Advertising: how it works on kids and teens, Raising Children Network
- What are the ratings?, Australian Classification
- Children’s TV programs, ACMA
- Victorian Curriculum F–10 Version 2.0: Health and Physical Education and Digital Technologies, VCAA
- Australian Curriculum v9.0 Health and Physical Education, Years 3–4: content descriptions, Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority
