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We all know escaping screens isn’t easy, and let’s face it - our devices, like mobile phones and tablets, are designed to be incredibly engaging, making them hard to put down, even for adults. Finding balance with screens in our lives can be tough, so when it comes to managing screen time for children, it’s no surprise that it’s such a complex and highly debated topic.
With around 90% of a child’s brain growth occurring before the age of 5, we wanted to delve deeper into the role that modern technology plays in our children’s development, and how we can all work with our devices to create healthier digital habits from the start.
To do this, we surveyed parents across the UK, asking about everything from screen habits and digital milestones to how worried they really are about the impact of screens on their children’s physical and mental development.
We also partnered with Olivia Hodges, a HCPC registered paediatric occupational therapist, who shares her expert advice throughout the report to help parents navigate their children’s relationships with technology.
How much screen time should children have - and how much are they getting?
Traditional developmental milestones versus digital milestones
The World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends that children under the age of two should have absolutely no screen time, while children aged two to four should have no more than one hour of screen time per day. For children up to the age of 16, experts recommend no more than two hours of recreational screen time per day, but our survey reveals children in the UK are far exceeding those limits.
According to our research, in 2025, the average child spends an average of 6 hours and 22 minutes on screens daily - and this pattern is consistent throughout all age groups:
0-4 years: 6 hours and 57 minutes of daily screen time
5-10 years: 6 hours and 22 minutes of daily screen time
11-16 years: 5 hours and 8 minutes of daily screen time
17+ years: 5 hours and 20 minutes of daily screen time
While children under four are logging the most daily screen time, they are the most likely to have fully supervised screen time on devices. Over one in six (16%) parents of children under four say their children don’t have any unsupervised screen time, compared to the national average of 13%.
And it seems navigating children’s screen time is a sensitive or even self-conscious topic for many, with almost half (46%) of parents saying they’ve downplayed their child’s screen time when speaking to other people.
Olivia shared her thoughts on the impacts of excessive screen time with us:
Without access to technology, children can be disadvantaged compared to their peers - but the duration, context, and content of the screen use are critical in determining its benefits.
Extended or excessive screen time, especially when passive, can negatively impact several core sensory systems in children. Typically, when on a tablet or smartphone, only one side of the body is engaged, limiting the opportunity for two-handed coordinated tasks.
Glass screens offer limited tactile feedback and reduce a child’s exposure to varied textures, which are essential in developing touch discrimination. Screen time also often encourages sedentary behaviour.
Sedentary behaviour does not activate the muscles and joints needed for core strength, postural control, and joint stabilisation. Children need active play - such as spinning and swinging - to develop balance and motion tolerance, through things like climbing, jumping, pushing, and pulling.”
So, to what extent is all this screen time having an impact on children’s development?
While parents are understandably wary of screens, many still believe they’re an important part of their children’s development, with nearly four in five (77%) saying they believe screens can help develop children’s skills.
Olivia, the paediatric occupational therapist we spoke to, agrees with this sentiment:
Technology is woven throughout our lives, and now, from a very young age, children have access to it. They can pick up digital skills incredibly quickly, but usage should be intentional. - It should not replace traditional developmental milestones, but enhance them.
She caveats:
I believe appropriate usage of technology can, in some cases, encourage and promote engagement in children - but it still needs to be done with care, especially at a young age.
In today’s tech-driven world, there’s no denying the importance of digital literacy to stay aligned with the rest of the population. However, our research found that, in general, children with lower screen times (under three hours per day) still reach ‘digital milestones’ (such as taking pictures or navigating the internet) earlier than children with more than three hours of screen time each day.
Therefore, our findings could indicate that children don’t develop digital literacy quicker if they spend more time in front of screens, and so shorter, more focussed screen use is better all around.
Although most parents agree that screen-based activities are important for helping their children learn or develop new skills, concerns persist regarding their impact on both mental and physical health.
Almost two-thirds of parents (65%) say they worry about the effects screens might have on their children’s physical development, and a further 69% are concerned about the impact on their children’s mental health.
With two in five parents (40%) saying they use screens to support their child in doing homework, we asked Olivia for tips on how to maintain children’s physical and mental health while doing so. Olivia advises that parents ensure their child’s posture is always supported, following a 90-90-90 rule:
You want to follow a 90-90-90 rule when completing any tabletop activities: their hips should be at 90 degrees, they should be sitting all the way back in the chair, and their hips should be bent at a right angle. Their knees should also be bent at a right angle, thighs should be parallel to the floor, and their feet should be flat on the floor (or on a footrest if needed) to provide a stable base.
She also recommends:
Ensure you schedule movement breaks approximately every 20 minutes, and encourage whole-body movement during these - like using a trampoline or kicking a ball around. Children may also benefit from having visual timers, so they always know when the next break is coming.
With children spending more time than ever immersed in screens, it’s not surprising that many parents are questioning the impact this is having on their development. Our data uncovered a concerning trend: children with higher daily screen times are reaching traditional developmental milestones later than their peers with lower screen times.
Tying shoelaces was the most delayed milestone. Parents of children with under three hours of screen time per day reported that their children achieved this around 5 years and 7 months old. In comparison, those with over three hours of daily screen time didn’t reach this milestone until around 7 years and 5 months.
Children in the higher screen time group also:
Continued using a dummy for 1 year and 2 months longer.
Took 1 year and 6 months longer to ride a bike without stabilisers.
Were 10 months older before they could throw or catch a ball.
We asked Olivia what parents can do to mitigate the effects of excessive screen time. She explained that it's essential that parents integrate activities throughout the day to support typical fine motor development:
These activities should be hands-on, tactile, and play-based, and meaningful to the child. They will vary depending on age, but could include: playing with theraputty, bead threading (making bracelets), playing catch, messy play, guessing items by touch, finger painting, sensory bins filled with rice or water beads
She also recommended incorporating deep pressure activities to support body awareness:
This could include animal walks (like crab or bear walking), helping with household chores (such as pushing a washing basket), visiting the playground or climbing gym, and building or completing obstacle courses.
We also asked parents how aware they are of the impact that high levels of screen time can have on children’s hand strength.
With three in five parents (60%) saying they are aware of this issue, we asked Olivia how parents can ensure their children develop proper hand strength despite using touchscreens - and how to avoid what’s often called ‘text claw’. Olivia said:
Key areas of hand development include hand strength, tactile sensory input, bilateral hand coordination, different grips, and finger isolation. Playing with things like playdough or theraputty will help children build muscle tone in their hands and increase hand strength.
For more precise movement, make bracelets by stringing beads, or use tongs to pick up items such as cotton balls or pompoms.
She also advised:
To develop pre-writing skills and promote effective pencil grasp, try encouraging drawing and colouring activities using larger pens or chunky markers - these will slowly develop fine motor control. Finger painting also works well.
Temper tantrums are a completely normal part of childhood development - even if they do try parents’ patience. It’s how children begin to learn emotional regulation, a crucial skill that helps them manage their reactions to difficult feelings.
But what happens when kids and parents are distracting themselves from those negative emotions with tech?
Worryingly, two in five parents (45%) say they’ve given their child a device just to get a bit of peace and quiet, and 37% have used one to calm their child down.
While this can be completely understandable in the moment, 42% of parents have also observed changes in their child’s mood or behaviour since introducing screens - suggesting that frequent digital soothing may have emotional side effects over time.
What’s more, three-quarters (75%) of parents say their child has thrown a tantrum after being denied access to a device.
Olivia expresses concern over this growing pattern:
Screen time feels predictable - it’s a focused input that helps tune out distractions, including visual and auditory stimulation, but also feelings of anxiety, stress, and overwhelm. Additionally, using screens can trigger the release of dopamine, a ‘feel-good’ neurotransmitter. This can lead us to associate screen use with pleasure and comfort, making us more likely to seek it out repeatedly.
The difficulty is that the child doesn’t learn how to co- or self-regulate their emotional and sensory processing. If they’re already feeling dysregulated, a screen can feel like something they can be in charge of - and so if this is removed without a replacement strategy, the experience can feel overwhelming.
To help prevent screen dependence - and the tantrums that can come with it - Olivia recommends building screen-free regulation strategies. She says there are lots of ways in which parents can decrease reliance on screens and reduce occurrences of dysregulation:
Firstly provide a quiet zone in the home, somewhere away from household traffic, that is a darkened or naturally lit space with soft blankets or pillows. Ideally, this will be a collaborative activity between parent and child to give the child a sense of autonomy and ownership.
She adds:
Encourage activities that provide deep pressure, such as big bear hugs or using a weighted blanket whilst reading a book. If the kids like to be more active, then they might benefit from crawling through tunnels made from pillows and blankets or doing some yoga for kids with stretching and breathwork. These should be incorporated into daily routines, around transitions, and following screen time.
Screens have become part of daily routines for many families, including at mealtimes. Our research found that one in three (34%) children struggle to eat unless a screen is present, and one in five (21%) parents admit to handing over a device to keep their child occupied during a meal in a restaurant.
This growing reliance on screens during meals may feel like a helpful short-term solution, but experts warn it could have unintended long-term effects. Olivia shares:
Screen time management can be such a challenging part of parenthood to navigate. There’s so much conflicting information online, and the demands of work and family life can understandably lead to increased reliance on screens.
“But when screens are used during meals, children may become distracted from the experience of eating itself. They miss out on learning about their food, social interaction at the table, and the sensory experiences that help develop oral motor skills. Over time, this can even affect how well a child learns to chew or move food around their mouth.
While screens may offer a moment of calm, Olivia recommends helping children build positive mealtime associations, without devices:
It’s incredibly challenging, but I believe it’s essential to model good habits around food. Try introducing a ‘no-screens-at-the-table’ rule and focus on creating a calm, sensory-friendly eating space.
Use soft, natural lighting, reduce background noise, and keep the dining table uncluttered. Support your child’s posture by ensuring their feet are flat on the floor or a small step.
She also shares a useful pre-mealtime tip:
Before meals, it can help to do some ‘heavy work’ or deep pressure activities - things that regulate the central nervous system and support the child to feel ready to sit and eat. This might include crawling games, pushing a toy basket, or animal walks like crab or bear walking.
Our research shows that the average parent in the UK believes children should be at least 11 years old before they have their own mobile phone. However, recent Ofcom research shows that a striking 91% of UK children own one by age 11.
The same Ofcom study also found that nearly a quarter of five-to-seven-year-olds in the UK now have a smartphone, despite only one in six (16%) parents we spoke to saying they think children under 7 should have one.
Interestingly, over two-fifths of parents (41%) wish they had delayed giving their child a smartphone, and another 39% say they felt pressured to give their children a smartphone because their peers already had one.
As more parents rally behind movements such as the Smartphone Free Childhood Pact, many are opting to give their children ‘dumb phones’ instead - something our research shows 29% of parents have tried. These stripped-back devices only offer basic functionalities like calling and texting - cutting out apps, internet access, and other smartphone temptations.
That being said, giving your child a smartphone isn’t necessarily a bad idea, especially since access to screens offers so many opportunities for learning and development.
But it's still important to consider your child’s individual development and your ability to supervise their activity before making that decision - particularly when it comes to online safety.
Compare and Recycle commissioned a survey amongst 1,000 UK parents with children under the age of 17. The survey was conducted between 15th and 18th July 2025 via 3Gem.
Olivia Hodges is a Pediatric Occupational Therapist with an MSc in Occupational Therapy, she is HCPC registered.
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