The Indian Academy of Pediatrics (IAP) recommends no screens at all for children under 2, a maximum of one hour a day of supervised screen time for children aged 2 to 5, and less than two hours a day for children aged 5 to 10. For teenagers there is no fixed number: screens should not eat into sleep, outdoor play, study, meals or family time. The World Health Organization's guidance for under-fives is very similar.
The one exception the IAP makes for babies and toddlers is short, occasional video calls with close family who live far away. So the weekly call with Dadi in Lucknow is fine. The cartoon on the phone at every meal is what the guidelines are trying to stop.
Screen time limits by age: IAP and WHO at a glance
The IAP guidelines were drawn up by an expert committee in 2021 and published in Indian Pediatrics in March 2022. The WHO guidelines for children under 5 came out in April 2019.
| Age | IAP recommendation | WHO recommendation |
|---|---|---|
| Under 1 year | No screens | Screen time not recommended |
| 1 to 2 years | No screens (occasional video calls with distant family allowed) | Not recommended at age 1; at age 2, no more than 1 hour, less is better |
| 2 to 5 years | Maximum 1 hour a day, supervised, each session no more than 20 to 30 minutes | No more than 1 hour of sedentary screen time (ages 3 to 4); less is better |
| 5 to 10 years | Less than 2 hours a day, including screen time for homework at home | Not covered |
| 10 to 18 years | No fixed cap; balance with at least 1 hour of outdoor activity, 8 to 9 hours of sleep, study, meals and family time | Not covered |
Both bodies say "less is better", and both care as much about what screens replace as about the number of minutes. The WHO pairs its screen advice with targets for active play (at least 180 minutes a day for children aged 1 to 4) and sleep.
What counts as screen time
Parents often count only the cartoons. The IAP guidelines take a wider view:
- Background TV counts. The IAP asks families of under-2s not to leave devices on and not to watch screens with the child in the room. Background television has been shown to reduce the amount and quality of parent and child interaction and to interrupt play.
- Phones at mealtimes count. Screens should not be used to make a child eat, or as the quick fix for a crying child.
- Homework on a screen counts for 5 to 10 year olds. The IAP's under-two-hours limit includes recreational time plus time on screens at home for school and extra-curricular work.
- Screens with the house help or at daycare count. The guidelines specifically ask parents to watch for screen exposure when the child is with a domestic help, a creche or a daycare.
Video calls with grandparents
For Indian families with grandparents in another city or another country, this matters. The IAP allows "minimal and occasional" screen time for social interaction with close family members who live far away, even for children under 2.
A video call is different from a cartoon because a real person responds to your child. To get the most out of it:
- Hold your baby on your lap and talk with them about who is on the screen.
- Ask Nani to sing the same rhyme each time, or show the same toy, so your child learns to expect it.
- Keep it short and end before your child gets restless.
- For an older toddler, let them show something real: a drawing, a new shoe, the dog.
Our post on using video calls for grandparent connection has more ideas, including for children with communication differences.
Family screen rules that work in Indian homes
The IAP gives practical rules that fit well in a busy Indian household. Pick three or four and stick to them before adding more.
- No screens at meals, in the hour before sleep, or on car and auto rides for 2 to 5 year olds. The IAP also advises switching screens off an hour before bedtime for everyone.
- Digital-free zones. The IAP suggests the bedroom, dining table, kitchen, bathroom and vehicles, for every family member.
- A family digital fast. A fixed time each day, or a longer block at the weekend, when nobody uses a device.
- The device belongs to a parent. For 5 to 10 year olds, the IAP recommends that children use a parent's device and not have their own phone, tablet or laptop.
- Watch together. Sit with young children, talk about what you see, and choose content that is educational, age-appropriate and non-violent.
- The 20-20-20 rule for older children doing schoolwork: every 20 minutes, look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds.
- Parents go first. The guidelines are direct that parents need to limit their own screen time and model the habit.
Our free Screen Time Recommendation Calculator gives you a daily plan for your child's age, and the Child Sleep Needs Calculator shows how much sleep to protect.
What to say when screens are the default
For mealtimes: "Phone sleeps during khana. Let's see what's on your plate. Is this dal hot or cold?" Then give your child something to do with their hands, like tearing roti or holding their own spoon.
For the "one more video" battle: give a warning before you switch off. "Two more minutes, then TV goes to sleep and we go to the balcony." A visual timer helps many children.
For relatives who hand over a phone to keep the peace: "Thank you, Mummy ji. The doctor has asked us to keep screens away until he is two, so we are trying it. Can you show him the birds instead?" If the clash is ongoing, our guide on when grandparents undermine therapy at home has longer scripts.
Signs screens are crowding out development
The IAP review of the evidence links excess screen time in young children with delayed language development and later learning and reading problems, and links early television exposure at ages 1 and 3 with attention problems at age 7. Screen use before bed is linked with later sleep and poorer sleep quality. These are associations from studies, not proof that screens alone caused a problem in any one child.
Watch for these signs in your own home:
- Your toddler uses few words, rarely points or brings things to show you, and prefers the phone to people.
- Meltdowns are intense and long whenever a screen is taken away.
- Your child has stopped playing with toys or going out to play.
- Bedtime keeps getting later and your child is tired or irritable in the day.
- For an older child, homework, sleep or friendships are slipping because of a game or app.
Some parents worry that heavy screen use causes autism. Our post on whether screens can cause autism-like signs explains what is known and why an evaluation still matters.
Screen time for children with autism, ADHD or speech delay
Children with developmental differences often love screens because they are predictable. The same age limits are a sensible starting point, but the planning needs more thought: transitions off screens are harder, and screens can quietly replace the back-and-forth practice that speech and social skills need. Our guides to managing screen time for neurodivergent kids and screen time and ADHD go into detail.
One important difference: a communication device or AAC app is your child's voice, not entertainment. It should be available all day and not rationed like cartoons.
When to get professional help
See your paediatrician or a speech therapist if your child is not trying to say a few words by 18 months or putting two words together by 2 (milestones most children reach by then, according to the CDC), is losing words or skills, or seems uninterested in people. These signs need an evaluation whatever the screen habits are. For teenagers, the IAP advises consulting the paediatrician if screen use is affecting studies or mental health and your own limits have not worked, and says suspected media addiction should be referred to a mental health professional.
Carely's speech therapists and occupational therapists work with children at home across Bangalore, and part of that work is helping families replace screen time with play that builds language. Try the free screen time calculator first, then look at our services or message us on WhatsApp if you are worried about your child's development.
Related reading: How to Improve Concentration in Children: What Actually Works.
Frequently asked questions
How much screen time is okay for a 2-year-old?
The IAP says no screens before 2, and from 2 to 5 a maximum of one hour a day, supervised, in sessions of 20 to 30 minutes. The WHO says no more than one hour for 2-year-olds, and less is better.
Is screen time okay for a 1-year-old?
Both the IAP and WHO advise no screen time at this age. The IAP allows minimal, occasional video calls with close family who live far away.
Does online school or homework count as screen time?
For 5 to 10 year olds, the IAP includes screen time at home for school and extra-curricular work within the under-two-hours limit. Keep recreational screen time small on days with heavy online homework.
How much screen time should a teenager have?
The IAP sets no fixed hours for 10 to 18 year olds. It asks that screens not replace at least one hour of outdoor activity, 8 to 9 hours of sleep, schoolwork, meals, hobbies and family time.
Can too much screen time cause speech delay?
Studies reviewed by the IAP link excess screen time with delayed language development, but a speech delay can have many causes, including hearing loss and autism. Reduce screens and get an evaluation rather than waiting to see if cutting screens fixes it.