Look for high quality educational shows, movies, and games for 2-5 year old children. Learn more tips about how to help your preschooler develop new social, language, and reading skills using the internet.
Limit your child's screen time to only one hour each day. Try to split this time up throughout the day with long breaks in between use. Electronics should only be used when an adult is there to supervise, talk, and teach.
By the time they are two years old, children can often understand and learn words through live video calls. Allow your child to join in or listen to conversations with friends and family.
Children 2-5 years old can learn from high quality educational content. Choose shows that are shorter in length, that you can tolerate watching with your child, and that promote messages you care about. Avoid advertisements if possible.
Encourage your child to interact with the characters on the screen by responding to questions or singing along to songs.
Look up age ratings, reviews, and content warnings for all apps, games, movies, and TV shows before allowing your child to view them.
Keep electronics out of reach of children and require passwords to log into your devices.
Balance your child's screen time with other healthy and fun activities, such as learning to read, playing outside, or doing a craft together. These activities encourage your child to be active, creative, and social.
Set a good example by showing habits that you want the child to follow. For example, this could mean having meals without phones or keeping devices in another room when it is time for bed. By doing these things, you can help your child learn and build good digital habits.
Do you have questions about online or social media safety for 2-5 year olds?
Call our FREE Safety Store Helpline at 317-274-6565. You can talk live with our staff Monday-Friday from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM about your safety questions.
commonsensemedia.org: Parenting, Media, and Everything In Between
raisingchildren.net.au: Preschoolers: Media & Technology
healthychildren.org: Screen Time and Healthy Media Use Habits
healthychildren.org: Kids & Tech - 12 Tips for Parents in the Digital Age
google.com: Google Family Link
