Apparently, Toddlers Shouldn’t Have ANY Screen Time, According To WHO
The World Health Organization recently published a new set of guidelines for sedentary activity, physical activity, and sleep for children under 5 years old. The guidelines focus on screen time specifically, and they’re not the first organization to do so.
With screens more prevalent in our world than ever, organizations such as the World Health Organization, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology have all released their guidelines on limiting screen time in children aged 0-5.
The WHO Says Absolutely Zero Screen Time
No, we’re not talking about the 60s rock band. The WHO is the World Health Organization! In their 2019 guidelines, the WHO addresses screen time in the ‘Sedentary Behavior’ section, breaking it down to infants less than 1 year, children 1-2 years of age, and children 3-4 years of age. The WHO is recommending children under 1 should have absolutely zero screen time, and children 1-2 years should have at most 1 hour, if any. For children ages 3-4, they’re recommending screen time for an hour or less per day.
The WHO is also recommending that engaging in reading and storytelling with a parent or caregiver would benefit them most, rather than educational tv programs or apps.
