Kids screen time limit.

The Canadian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines say no sedentary screen time under age 2, no more than 1 hour a day (less is better) at ages 2 to 4, and no more than 2 hours a day of recreational screen time at ages 5 to 17. That is 0, 7 or 14 hours a week.

Not medical advice. These are national guidelines, not a diagnosis or a rule that fits every family. The American Academy of Pediatrics also suggests each family build a personal family media plan; talk to your doctor if screens are affecting sleep, mood or school.

Worked example

A child aged 8 uses screens 2.5 hours on each school day and 4 hours on each weekend day. That is 20.5 hours a week (2.5 x 5 + 4 x 2), or about 2.9 hours a day. The limit at age 8 is 2 hours a day, or 14 hours a week, so the week is 6.5 hours over (46% above the limit).

How it works

The daily limit comes from the age: 0 under age 2, 1 hour at ages 2 to 4, 2 hours at ages 5 to 17. Your weekly hours are weekday hours times 5 plus weekend hours times 2. The limit is multiplied by 7 for a week. A year is counted as 52 weeks for both figures: the weekly limit times 52, and your weekly hours times 52. The difference is your weekly hours minus the weekly limit.

Sources

Canadian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines for the Early Years (0-4 years): An Integration of Physical Activity, Sedentary Behaviour, and Sleep, CSEP: for those younger than 2 years sedentary screen time is not recommended; for age 2 and for ages 3 to 4, no more than 1 hour, less is better. Canadian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines for Children and Youth (5-17 years): An Integration of Physical Activity, Sedentary Behaviour, and Sleep, CSEP: no more than 2 hours per day of recreational screen time. How to Make a Family Media Plan, HealthyChildren.org (American Academy of Pediatrics), which advises creating personalized rules and a plan that fits your family. Both pages opened 2026-10-08.

FAQ

How much screen time is recommended for kids by age?

The Canadian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines recommend none under age 2, no more than 1 hour a day at ages 2 to 4 (less is better), and no more than 2 hours a day of recreational screen time at ages 5 to 17.

Does the 2-hour limit include homework?

The guideline for ages 5 to 17 refers to recreational screen time, so enter time on games, video and social media rather than schoolwork.

What is the limit for a toddler?

Under age 2, sedentary screen time is not recommended, so the limit is zero. At age 2 it is no more than 1 hour a day, and less is better.

Can I average the hours across the week?

The guidelines are written per day. This calculator also shows the week so you can see the overall gap, but the daily limit is the guideline.

What does the American Academy of Pediatrics suggest?

Its HealthyChildren.org page recommends making a personalized family media plan with rules that suit your family and revisiting it often. It does not give an hour limit on that page.

Is this medical advice?

No. It compares your numbers with published guideline limits. Ask your doctor about any concern.