Educational Screen Time for Toddlers
All families have different points of view when it comes to screen time. There are a million reasons why different things work for different families, and they’re all perfectly acceptable. As pediatric speech and language therapists, we absolutely feel that screen time can be a part of your toddler’s day if you’d like it to be. But, we do recommend making your toddler’s screen time as educational as possible. So in this post, we’ll share our tips for including screen time in your child’s day in a mindful and supportive way. And, we’ll share a few of our favorite educational screen time options, too!
Expert Recommendations on Screen Time
If you google screen time for children, you might find some extreme opinions that make it seem like the worst thing ever for children. You might also find some very relaxed opinions that make it seem like any screen time is all good. We fall somewhere in the middle. But to take some of that subjectivity out of the mix—and help you make educated decisions for your family—we thought we’d start by telling you what the experts recommend.
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends no screen time for kids under 18 months, but they say FaceTime is okay. This is because watching TV and playing tablet games are primarily passive activities, and it’s best for little ones to be up moving, exploring, and experiencing things at this age. For kids ages 18-24 months and up, the AAP says that some screen time is fine. They suggest no more than 1 hour per day for children ages 2-5 years.
The Canadian Paediatrics Society (CPS) does not recommend screen time for children under 2 years old. For kids ages 2-5, they recommend limiting routine or regular screen time to less than 1 hour per day. And, they say that sedentary screen time should not be a routine part of the day for any children under the age of 5. They also recommend maintaining daily ‘screen-free’ times and avoiding screens in the last hour before bedtime, since it can have negative effects on sleep.
Again, we understand that it’s not always possible to avoid all screen time until your child is 2, or even 18 months old. So if you need to use screen time as a tool to help you get through the day, we’re going to help you figure out how to do that in the most beneficial way possible for your child.
Tips for Better Screen Time
Introducing your toddler to screen time? We recommend doing these 3 things first:
#1 Remember That Not All Shows Are Created Equal
People create content for kids for all kinds of reasons. Sometimes, it truly is for their education and wellbeing. Other times, it’s so they can make money. So keep in mind that just because something is marketed to toddlers or young children doesn’t mean it’s the best option for them. We find some of the most popular shows marketed to young kids to be not great options. (But don’t worry, we’ve got a full list of the shows we do like further down in this post!)
#2 Make A Family Media Plan
Now that you know the official screen time recommendations, take some time to think about what works best for your child and your family. To do this, you can use the 3 Cs:
Content: Quality screen time matters. The rest of our tips in this post will help you choose quality options.
Child: Pick what’s right for your child. You know them better than anyone else does!
Context: How you interact with your child around their watching experience matters, too. The more you can watch with them, the better.
#3 Have A Screen Time Schedule
We don’t like to be too rigid, but at the same time, we notice that our kids seem to thrive when they have a predictable rhythm to their day. Pick a time of day that you will watch shows then stick to that time. Maybe that’s in the morning, while you make breakfast and get everyone ready for the day. Or maybe it’s in the evening when you’re busy making dinner and packing lunches. Remember that any time is okay and what works for your family doesn't have the be right for anyone else’s. Just remember to stick to your screen time boundary once it’s been set. It will help both you and your child get into a consistent, predictable routine and decrease the screentime struggles.
What We Look For In An Educational Toddler Show
There are a few go-to qualities we look for in any screen time we let our toddlers watch:
Slow pace
Calm vibes
Positive themes and messaging
Opportunities for interaction
Shows that encourage creativity and imagination
We find that our toddlers can most easily follow slower TV shows and that opportunities to interact keep them actively engaged instead of passively watching. And, we notice that our children are generally in better moods and the day has better energy when they watch shows that are calm and positive. That’s why these items make our list. But as you make your family media plan, keep in mind that you’re welcome to add more of your own criteria, too!
How To Make The Most Out Of Screen Time
Screen time for toddlers really can be educational—if you choose quality content and, whenever possible, you add in a few of these TV-watching tips:
#1 Co-Watch
Whenever you can, watch TV shows with your toddler. This way, you can help them understand what’s going on. And, you’ll know exactly what they’re seeing and learning.
#2 Make Connections
Help your toddler make connections between what they’re seeing on the screen and what happens in their daily life. “Bluey and Bingo made mud pizzas! Do you remember when you made mud pies at the park?”
#3 Have Discussions
Having discussions after the show is over can help your toddler integrate any new things they’ve learned. You could talk about what happened in the show, any connections you made, or even how you felt while watching!
Our Top 10 Educational Toddler Screen Time Recommendations
These are our favorite toddler TV shows in no particular order. We recently wrote a whole blog post on these picks with more context about why we love each one. If you’re interested in that post, you can read it here.
#1 Duck & GOOSE
Daniel Tiger is one of our very favorites!! Based on the best-selling children's books by Tad Hills, Duck & Goose features two best friends who love to explore.
Where to find it: Apple TV+
#2 TUMBLE LEAF
Tumble Leaf follows a small blue fox and his friends who live in a whimsical land. Tumble Leaf adventures will lead to learning about science and discovery.
Where to find it: Amazon
#3 TRASH TRUCK
If you have a transportation lover, we know they’ll love Trash Truck! Common Sense Media calls Trash Truck a “gentle preschool buddy tale celebrates imagination.”
Where to find it: Netflix
#4 Sesame Street
There’s a good chance you’re already familiar with the Sesame Street crew! If not, Sesame Street follows some beloved characters like Elmo and Big Bird as they learn new things and work through big feelings.
Where to find it: PBS Kids
#5 BLUEY
Bluey is honestly so heartwarming. We love the dad character. The episodes are short, which makes it easier to monitor the screen time. We like watching a few at a time.
Where to find it: Disney+
#6 ADA TWIST SCIENTIST
Ada Twist Scientist features Ada, a little scientist who champions asking “why” and persevering when things don’t go right the first time. We love the lessons our kids learn as well as the representation of diversity.
Where to find it: Netflix
#7 PUFFIN ROCK
We like Puffin Rock for its use of beautiful graphics kids love to look at, features a positive sibling relationship, and uses a slow pace that’s appropriate for little ones.
Where to find it: Netflix
#8 OCTONAUTS
The underwater explorer crew is always up for an adventure! It's such a good show that will spark your child's curiosity and imagination.
Where to find it: Netflix
#9 DANIEL TIGER’S NEIGHBORHOOD
Daniel Tiger is our favorite pick for kids!! We love just listening to the music with our kids, too. Daniel Tiger has a song for all occasions (learning to use the potty, making new friends, leaving your grownup for school, and more)!
Where to find it: PBS Kids, Amazon
#10 Songs + Stories
So, our “show” isn’t on a major streaming service (you can sign up via our website) but we have to share it with you! Songs + Stories is our online membership that is intentionally created by us to support language and early literacy development. We love the fact that it’s slow paced and features real people (us!)
Watch 3 Free Storytime Videos From Us!
We feel confident that you and your toddler will love our storytime videos! But if you’re intentional about screen time like we are, we’re sure you’ll want to see what it’s all about, first. That’s why we made a few storytime videos available for your family to see if it’s a good fit!
Click the link below to watch 3 free videos (no credit card info required), then either watch it with your toddler or let them watch while you take a few minutes to yourself. We do both—just depends on how the day is going! 🤪