How much screen time is enough? WHO guidance and how to use it

What does WHO recommend?

Reading the numbers correctly

• This is sitting still in front of a screen: watching TV or videos, playing computer games.
• "Less is better" means one hour is a ceiling, not a target.
• The guidance covers children under 5. For 5- and 6-year-olds the same approach is a sensible starting point: short, purposeful, with an adult nearby.

When your child learns on a phone

• Short sessions of 10–15 minutes; set a timer and give a warning before it ends.
• Sit together for the first sessions and ask what they learned.
• Choose apps with no ads and no autoplaying videos.
• After screen time, switch to a screen-free activity on the same topic: counting, colour hunts, or a printable worksheet.
• Keep meals, outdoor play and bedtime screen-free.

How English for Fun follows this

• Each pack is short, with no ads and no autoplaying video.
• The Progress page shows parents how many minutes were played each day, counting only time when the child is touching the screen.
• Every topic has printables for screen-free practice.

Sources

1. WHO: To grow up healthy, children need to sit less and play more (2019)
2. WHO guidelines on physical activity, sedentary behaviour and sleep for children under 5 years of age