Key takeaways: The AAP recommends avoiding digital media other than video chatting for babies under 18 to 24 months. Babies learn best from real people and hands-on play. Background TV can reduce the amount of talk and play babies get. If you introduce media between 18 and 24 months, choose high-quality programs and watch together.
Screens are everywhere, but babies’ brains learn best through real interaction.
What the AAP Recommends
From the AAP’s 2016 policy statement, “Media and Young Minds”:
- Under 18 months: avoid screen media other than video chatting.
- 18 to 24 months: if you introduce media, choose high-quality programming and watch with your child.
- 2 to 5 years: limit to 1 hour a day of high-quality programs, watched together.
Why It Matters
- Babies learn from people. Research shows babies under 2 have a hard time learning from screens compared with learning from live interaction.
- Talk and play matter most. Screen time can replace back-and-forth conversation and active play.
- Sleep: screens near bedtime may affect sleep.
From the author
From First Breath to First Birthday is my month-by-month guide to your baby’s first year, written as a NICU and postpartum nurse. My book follows your baby’s growth and development month by month, from the first hours after birth to the first birthday.
Background TV
Even when babies aren’t watching, a TV on in the background may reduce how much parents talk with babies and how focused babies are on play.
Video Chatting Is Different
Video chatting with grandparents and family is interactive, and the AAP considers it okay.
Realistic Tips
- Make screen-free zones, like meals and bedrooms.
- Turn off background TV when no one is watching.
- Have screen-free activities ready: board books, toys, a play mat.
- Model healthy habits: put your phone away during play and feeds when you can.
- Be kind to yourself. Life with a baby is busy. Aim for less, not perfection.
Parents’ Phone Use
Babies notice when parents are distracted. Small changes, like putting phones away during feeds and play, help.
The Bottom Line
For babies under 18 months, skip screens except video chatting. Talk, play, read, and connect instead.
Want more support for your baby’s first year? My book, From First Breath to First Birthday, is available on Amazon.
Related Articles
- Talking, Reading, and Singing: Building Language From Day One
- Music and Your Baby
- Best Toys by Age in the First Year
- Reading to Babies: Choosing the Right Books
Sources
- Council on Communications and Media. Media and young minds. Pediatrics. 2016;138(5):e20162591.
- American Academy of Pediatrics. Family Media Plan. HealthyChildren.org. https://www.healthychildren.org/MediaUsePlan
- World Health Organization. Guidelines on physical activity, sedentary behaviour and sleep for children under 5 years of age. WHO; 2019.
This article is for general education and is not a substitute for individualized medical advice. Always talk with your baby’s health care provider or your own provider about your specific situation. If you think your baby or you may have a medical emergency, call 911.
