Kids, Screen Time, and Well-Being: What Parents Really Need to Know
- by Ester Hilmarsdottir
- 11 min reading time
For years, parents have been told to worry about how much time their children spend looking at screens — tablets, phones, TVs, laptops. But new guidance from the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) suggests a shift in thinking: it’s not the amount of time that matters most, but how that time fits into family life, rest, and overall well-being.
What the Research Says
The RCPCH gathered insights from 109 children and young people, who reported spending, on average:
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2.5 hours a day on a laptop, tablet, or computer
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3 hours on a smartphone
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2 hours watching television
While screen time is clearly a big part of daily life, the children also shared how it can affect them:
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88% said it impacts their sleep, with 1.5 hours on devices before bed
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41% felt it affected their play and fun
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35% reported a negative impact on mood and mental health
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18% said it interfered with family time and schoolwork
These findings are supported by a British Medical Journal (BMJ) review of multiple studies on screen time and its effects on health, looking at areas like body composition, diet, sleep, fitness, and mental health. The research did highlight a clear link between higher screen time and obesity, higher BMI, and increased fat mass — likely due to factors like reduced physical activity and snacking while watching.
The Key Message for Parents
The RCPCH isn’t setting a strict cut-off for daily screen time. Instead, their guidance focuses on balance and healthy habits:
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Make sure screen use doesn’t interfere with sleep
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Protect family time and in-person socialising
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Limit snacking during screen use
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Be aware of content quality, not just time spent
The studies focused on the amount of screen use, not the type of content being consumed. This is important — because content like fast-paced, low-quality videos or certain social media feeds may have very different effects compared to interactive educational content.
What This Means for Families Today
Technology is a central part of our children’s world — and it can be a powerful tool for learning, connection, and creativity. The goal isn’t to banish screens, but to help kids use them in a way that supports their well-being and provide healthier alternatives.
Practical tips to try at home:
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Establish device-free times before bed to protect sleep
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Encourage active breaks from sitting and looking at screens
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Choose high-quality, age-appropriate content
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Use screen time as a shared activity — watch, listen, and explore together
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Offer screen-free entertainment such as audio
As a YouGov survey found, 71% of people admit to using a screen within an hour of bedtime — so modelling healthy habits is just as important for adults as for children.
StoryPhones: A Healthier Alternative to Screen Time
If you’re looking for a way to keep your children engaged without adding more screens into their day, StoryPhones offers the perfect solution. This screen-free entertainment system delivers captivating stories, music, and educational content designed for young listeners.
With StoryPhones, kids can:
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Enjoy hours of imaginative storytelling without staring at a screen
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Discover educational content that sparks curiosity and learning
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Stay entertained on car journeys, during quiet time, or before bed — without the blue light that disrupts sleep
It’s all the fun, magic, and engagement they love — minus the screen. By swapping some screen sessions for StoryPhones time, families can strike a healthier balance that supports both entertainment and well-being.
