How to use the screen time planner
- Enter your child’s age in years.
- Enter the planned screen time on school days and on weekend days.
- For children under 5, compare your plan with the WHO guidance shown.
- Read the family media plan ideas and print the page to share with carers.
How it works
For ages under 5, the planner looks up the WHO 2019 guidelines on physical activity, sedentary behaviour and sleep. If your plan includes screen time at an age where WHO doesn’t recommend it, or more than 1 hour a day at ages 2 to 4, it shows a gentle note. For older children, it adds up the weekly total: school-day minutes × 5 plus weekend minutes × 2.
Worked examples
Three-year-old. 45 minutes on school days and 60 at weekends: within the WHO guidance of no more than 1 hour a day.
Eighteen months. Any regular screen time is flagged, because WHO doesn’t recommend sedentary screen time at this age.
Nine-year-old. 60 minutes on school days and 120 at weekends: 9 hours a week, which you can balance against sleep, activity and homework.
Tips and common mistakes
- Make a plan together with older children so they understand the rules.
- Keep screens out of bedrooms at night.
- Choose quality content and watch together when you can.
- Model the habits you want to see.
- Plan active alternatives for times when screens would usually come out.
Making a family media plan
A media plan works best when the whole family helps write it. Decide together which places and times are screen-free, what kinds of content are fine, how much time is allowed on school days and weekends, and what happens when the rules are broken. Write it down, put it somewhere visible and review it every few months as children grow. Printing this page gives you a starting point for that conversation.
Limitations
The planner doesn’t judge content or educational use. It compares time only, against the WHO guidance for children under 5.