Screens are everywhere in our digital world. Toddlers areexposed to screens more than ever before, from smartphones and tablets to televisions and computers. Screen time can have educational benefits but excessive use can impact a child’s cognitive, social, and physical development.
As parents and caregivers we need to find the balance and offer healthy substitutes while managing settings, blocking apps and setting limits. We also know that too much screen time can present additional challenges for children with behavioural conditions such as ADHD or ODD.
This guide strives to share good examples for managing how much screen time children receive with parental controls in a healthy positive way. First, let's explore in more detail why we should limit a child's screen time.
What is Extended Screen Exposure and Why is it a Concern?
Extended screen exposure refers to the amount of time a child spends engaged with digital devices such as tablets, televisions, smartphones, and computers—especially when this time goes beyond what is developmentally appropriate. For toddlers aged 2 to 5, the Australian Department of Health recommends no more than one hour of sedentary screen time per day. However, many children exceed this limit, often due to the convenience of screens as a tool for entertainment or distraction.
But why does extended screen time pose a developmental risk? Young children are in a critical window of brain development. During this time, they learn best through real-world, hands-on experiences—interacting with people, exploring their environment, and engaging in imaginative play.
Screens, while sometimes educational, are typically passive and highly stimulating in ways that don’t mirror real-world learning.
How Extended Screen Use Impacts Development and Behaviour
Cognitive and Language Development
Screens often replace human interaction, which is essential for building vocabulary, sentence structure, and turn-taking in conversation. A screen can't respond to a toddler’s babble or correct their grammar in real-time. This is particularly relevant in children with or at risk of language delays where conditions such as autism spectrum disorder are present.
Attention and Executive Functioning
The rapid pace of screen content can condition young brains to expect constant stimulation. As a result, children may find it harder to concentrate on slower-paced, real-life activities like reading, puzzles, or conversation—skills crucial for school readiness and behavioural self-control. This is especially problematic in children with ADHD or sensory processing difficulties.
Emotional Regulation and Behaviour
Too much screen time can dysregulate a child’s mood and emotions. Overstimulation can lead to frustration, irritability, and increased tantrums—particularly when the screen is taken away. In behavioural terms, this often presents as non-compliance, aggression, or escalation, especially in children with emotional regulation difficulties or Oppositional Defiant Disorder.
Sleep and Routine Disruption
Screens—especially in the hour before bedtime—can suppress melatonin production and interfere with a child’s circadian rhythm. Poor sleep directly correlates with increased behavioural issues, including impulsivity, mood swings, and difficulty following instructions.
Anxiety and Emotional Coping
While screens are often used to calm or distract an anxious child, relying on them as a go-to soothing tool can actually delay the development of healthy emotional regulation skills. This is especially important in toddlers, who are just beginning to learn how to manage big feelings like fear, worry, and overwhelm.
By turning to screens during moments of distress—such as a tantrum, separation, or transitions—children miss the opportunity to practise self-soothing, identify their emotions, or seek comfort through human connection. Over time, this can increase dependence on screens to "feel better," rather than building the resilience needed to cope with anxiety in a functional way.
Children with anxiety disorders, autism, or Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA) may already struggle with emotional flexibility, and screen overuse can reinforce avoidant behaviours, where children disengage from discomfort rather than working through it. This is why part of any positive behaviour support plan should include teaching alternative calming strategies, such as breathing, sensory play, or co-regulation with a trusted adult.
The Benefits of Screen Time and Setting Screen Time Limits
While it's important to manage a child's screen time, not all screen use is harmful. In fact, screen time can offer valuable learning opportunities when used mindfully and in moderation.
Screens can connect children with long-distance relatives through video chatting, helping to strengthen bonds within the family group. High-quality educational programs from trusted providers can support early learning in areas such as language, numeracy, and emotional awareness. Certain interactive games and apps are designed specifically to encourage problem-solving, creativity, and fine motor development—skills that align with key developmental milestones.
That said, the real benefits of screen time are unlocked when it's used intentionally and with limits. Setting boundaries around how much time is spent on screens, and what type of content is consumed, helps children learn balance and self-regulation—essential life skills that transfer to many areas of behaviour.
Here’s how setting screen time limits supports healthy development:
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Encourages schedule downtime for rest, reflection, or boredom-driven play—crucial for creativity and emotional growth.
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Promotes face-to-face interaction, imaginative play, and physical activity, all of which are reduced when screens dominate the day.
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Reduces conflict by creating clear boundaries—children thrive on consistency and routines.
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Teaches self-discipline when parents use app limits or parental controls to support consistent use.
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Helps children recognise when they are overstimulated or tired, allowing parents to intervene and guide them toward healthy downtime activities.
By framing screens as a tool rather than a default, families can create positive habits early on. Whether it’s by using a timer, building in daily routines, or discussing screen use as a family group, these habits reinforce healthy behavioural patterns that will serve children well into the future.
Practical Strategies for Managing Your Child's Screen Time
In this section, we offer a range of ideas you can easily implement at home to help manage the amount of time your child spends on screens. Children grow up fast, and these strategies are especially helpful for those under 6 years old—but many can be adapted for older children with a little creativity.
These practical approaches can help your child build healthy screen habits while also encouraging essential developmental skills like communication, imagination, and emotional regulation.
For detailed help on how to manage settings on Android Phones and Android devices see Android's screen time documentation here.
For detailed help on how to manage settings on iPhones visit the iPhone user guide here.
Set Daily Limits That Match Your Child's Routine
Start by setting clear, age-appropriate daily limits for your child’s screen time. For toddlers, this might mean allowing up to one hour per day of high-quality programming, in line with national guidelines.
Use your child’s daily routine as a guide—scheduling screen time after active play, meals, or learning activities ensures that screens don’t crowd out other important experiences. This also teaches the idea that screens are just one part of a balanced day.
Tip: Use parental controls, screen time settings and app daily limits to help keep time spent on devices within the limits you've agreed.
Create Screen-Free Zones in Your Home
Designate specific places as screen-free zones, such as the dinner table, bedrooms, or the family bathroom. This not only helps reduce passive screen use but also encourages connection and mindfulness during mealtimes, rest periods, and bedtime routines. Children are more likely to wind down and sleep well when screens are removed from their wind-down environment.
Encourage Active Engagement with Screens
When screen time is allowed, make it purposeful and interactive. Choose educational content that encourages participation—shows or apps that prompt children to sing, dance, solve problems, or talk back are especially beneficial. Co-viewing or using the screen alongside your child creates opportunities for conversation and shared learning.
Be a Role Model for Healthy Screen Use
Children learn by example. If you’re constantly on your phone or tablet, your child is likely to want the same. Show your child what healthy downtime looks like by taking breaks from devices yourself. Read a book, play a game, or go outside together—your actions speak louder than words.
Use Screens Purposefully, Not as a Pacifier
It can be tempting to hand over a screen during tantrums or moments of boredom, but over time this can interfere with your child learning to self-regulate. Instead, try using screens as learning tools—watch an educational video together, or use storytelling apps that promote interaction. And when your child is upset or restless, try a calming activity like sensory play, cuddling, or deep breathing before reaching for the tablet.
Set a Consistent Daily Routine
Build a daily routine that includes structured playtime, outdoor time, reading, and rest. A predictable structure helps children feel secure and reduces their reliance on screens for entertainment. When children know what to expect, they’re less likely to demand screen time as a default activity.
This works well when combined with setting healthy daily limits for screen time.
Other Fun Things to Do Instead of Screen Time
Playful activitiesencourage cognitive skills and social skills for toddlers. Here are a few alternative activities to do instead of spending time on your child's device.
Outdoor Play & Exploration
Time spent outside supports physical development, sensory integration, and emotional regulation. For children with ADHD or sensory processing difficulties, outdoor play offers natural opportunities for energy release, sensory input, and calming rhythms—whether that’s running in the garden, walking barefoot on grass, or exploring natural textures. It’s also great for children who struggle with transitions or impulse control, helping them practise self-regulation in a less structured environment.
Tip: Why not promote sensory experiences and fine motor skills by offering play with sand, water or leaves.
Arts & Crafts
Painting, cutting, pasting, and colouring engage the hands and mind while supporting fine motor development and creative expression. For children with anxiety or ASD, arts and crafts can be grounding and predictable—offering a sense of control and mastery. They’re also useful for emotion expression, especially when words are hard to find.
Give toddlers safe art supplies to explore and express their imagination. Art encourages expression through non-verbal means, supports routines and focus, and can be used as a replacement behaviour during times of frustration or overstimulation.
Storytelling & Reading
Shared reading time builds language skills, joint attention, and imagination. For children with language delays, ADHD, or ASD, books provide structured yet imaginative ways to engage. Acting out stories also strengthens perspective-taking, which is essential for social development and behaviour management.
Reading books together improves language skills and creativity. Head to your local library or make yourself a cozy spot at home to read. Use props to act out stories or create your own stories to promote creative thinking.
Sensory Play
Sensory bins filled with materials like rice, sand, water beads, or play dough support focus, body awareness, and emotional regulation. Sensory play is particularly beneficial for children with ASD, anxiety, or those who struggle with overstimulation. It’s calming, repetitive, and engaging without being overwhelming.
Music & Dance
Music and movement activities support coordination, rhythm, and listening skills. For children with emotional dysregulation or hyperactivity, music and dance offer a safe outlet for expression and a fun way to practise following instructions. Singing routines (e.g., "tidy-up songs") can also be used as part of transition planning.
Singing nursery rhymes, using simple musical instruments, or dancing can be excellent fun and will help enhance coordination and rhythm. Music activities also help little ones with listening skills.
Pretend Play & Role-Playing
Pretend play develops social understanding, problem-solving, and flexibility. Children with PDA, ASD, or ODD often benefit from exploring everyday situations (like shopping or doctor visits) through role-play before experiencing them in real life. This builds confidence and emotional resilience in new or anxiety-inducing scenarios.
Explore with pretend play — dolls, pretend kitchen, dress-up games, etc. Pretending to go to places you go in real life (a grocery store, a doctor’s office) helps build problem-solving skills. This encourages social skill development, provides a safe way to practise new behaviours, and promotes generalisation of skills across settings.
Building & Puzzle Games
Building blocks, shape sorters, and puzzles promote patience, focus, and hand-eye coordination. For children with impulsivity or low frustration tolerance, these activities help them practise delayed gratification and problem-solvingin small, manageable doses. Puzzles also support sequencing and logical thinking.
This strengthens executive functioning and encourages persistence.
In Partnership with Early Learning Child Centre
This article has been developed in partnership with the Early Learning Child Centre which are ideally placed to aid well-rounded child development with managed screen time limits.
Attending an early learning childcare centre provides an enriched environment that serves to limit screen time. Childcare centres focus on:
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Sessions of interactive storytelling
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Group play activities
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Sensory and hands-on learning
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Peer interaction contributing to social skill development
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Fostering movement and physical activity
The ELC emphasises all around development via new experiences. Screen time is carefully monitored and our experienced educators provide a safe and stimulating environment for children to explore, learn, and grow without a heavy reliance on screens.
Final Thoughts
Screens are unavoidable in the digital age we live in but maintaining balance with screen time is key so toddlers can develop basic essential skills by involving in active hands-on experiences. Establishing limits show you lead by example and help them understand that unhealthy behaviours can be swapped out with productive options whenever possible.
Sending your child to a well established childcare centre like Newtown Early Learning Childcare Centre can also greatly aid in your child’s development in a great environment.