Excessive screen time is actively harming the language development of young children in the UK, the government has warned, as it prepares to issue its first-ever official advice to parents on managing digital media for the under-fives.
Alarming Screen Habits Revealed in New Data
Government-commissioned research has uncovered near-universal screen use among the nation's youngest children. The study, which surveyed the main caregivers of 4,758 children, found that 98% of two-year-olds watch TV, videos, or other digital content on a screen daily.
On average, these toddlers spend 127 minutes a day engaged with screens. This figure has skyrocketed from the average of just 29 minutes a day observed when the same children were nine months old in 2022. The total average time, including video gaming, reaches 140 minutes daily, with 19% of two-year-olds already playing video games.
Clear Link Between Screens and Slower Speech
The research establishes a direct and concerning correlation. It found that children aged two with the highest screen use—approximately five hours a day—could say significantly fewer words than their peers who averaged about 44 minutes of screen time.
In vocabulary tests, toddlers with the highest exposure could say an average of 53% of a set of 34 words. In contrast, those with the lowest screen use could speak 65% of the words. This disparity highlights the tangible impact of passive digital consumption on crucial early language acquisition.
Government and Experts Call for Balanced Approach
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson acknowledged the new reality for families, stating, "Screens are part of family life now. The question parents are asking isn't whether to use them, but how to use them well." She echoed concerns from parents and teachers that excessive passive screen time can "crowd out the talking, play and reading" vital for development.
In response, the government will publish formal guidance in April 2024. A panel led by Children's Commissioner for England Rachel de Souza and former Department for Education chief scientific adviser Professor Russell Viner will review the latest evidence and parent input to shape the advice, focusing on integrating screens into interactive activities.
Neil Leitch, CEO of the Early Years Alliance, welcomed the move but stressed that guidance must extend beyond simple time limits. "It's important that any such support... sits within a much wider framework of guidance for families and educators on digital literacy and online safety," he said, emphasising the need to prepare children for a digital world.
Broader Context and Health Concerns
The findings arrive amidst wider national concern about children's digital wellbeing. Notably, the teaching union NASUWT has called for a ban on social media for under-16s due to mental health and concentration worries—a policy area Phillipson has said she is examining.
Furthermore, the research indicated that a quarter of all children in the survey scored above the threshold for potential behavioural or emotional problems. While the average vocabulary of two-year-olds (21 out of 34 words) has not significantly changed since 2017-2020, the stark differences linked to screen habits are a clear warning sign.
The data places UK toddler screen time far above the World Health Organization's recommendation of a maximum of one hour per day for children aged two to four. As screens become ever more embedded in daily life, the forthcoming government guidance aims to provide parents with the tools to navigate this modern parenting challenge effectively.
