Screen time and sleep
How much recreational screen time is too much?
How can you reduce recreational screen time?
How can you make sure your children are getting a good night's sleep?
As young children grow and develop, they need more time in active play, less time sitting and enough sleep each day to be healthy.
See below for useful advice and helpful tips to understand how much sedentary recreational screen time is okay, ways to get your children off their screens and active, and the importance of sleep for growing children.
Striking the balance of healthy recreational screen time for your child
As young children grow and develop, they need more time in active play and less time sitting. Time away from screens is time they can be active and build social skills. Even small changes in recreational screen time habits can benefit your child’s physical, social, psychological and cognitive development.
Click here to find out how much sedentary recreational screen time is too much for your child, the effects of too much screen time on your child’s health and development, tips to reduce recreational screen time for the whole family, as well as fun activities to replace screen time.
Turn off screens and get active fact sheet
Screens can be great for learning, play and communication. However, too much recreational screen time can be unhealthy. It’s time to sit less and move more!
Check out the handy fact sheet here.
This resource was developed by Western Sydney Local Health District.
Three tips to limit small screen recreation
Discover the three tips the Smart family and their dog use to limit screen time.
Watch the 1-minute video, click here.
This resource was developed by Murrumbidgee Local Health District.
Tops tips from a Paediatric Sleep Specialist
Sleep is one of the three crucial things needed for children’s health and development – sleep, nutrition and exercise. The great news is sleep is treatable, changeable and can be improved.
Hear tips from Dr Chris Seton from The Children's Hospital at Westmead to help you make sure your child gets a good night's sleep.
Watch the short video here.
10 tips to sleep better
You can help your child sleep better with bedtime routines, regular bedtimes, healthy sleep associations, comfortable sleep environments and healthy daytime habits.
Check out the 10 tips to better sleep, click here.
How to manage screen time for better sleep
During sleep, amazing things happen in the brain and body. Some of the benefits of good sleep include better moods and behaviour, improved mental health, self-esteem and resilience, enhanced concentration and memory which helps learning, and a strong immune system which can help prevent illness.
However, screen time can impact the quality and quantity of sleep your child gets which can impact your child’s learning and behaviour.
Find out more about sleep, screen time and tips to manage the two together.
More about screens and sleep, click here.