Is screen time harming your toddler's speech? New government advice is coming

New government guidance will help parents manage screen time for babies and toddlers, after research linked heavy use to language delays.

Mother buckling toddler daughter in car seat who is staring at a tablet

Published: January 12, 2026 at 1:04 PM

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Excessive screen time could be damaging toddlers’ language development, the government has warned, as it prepares to publish its first ever official advice for parents of under-fives in England.

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The new guidance, due in April, is intended to help families understand how to use screens in a healthier, more balanced way during the early years when talking, play, and reading are crucial to development.

It follows government-commissioned research suggesting that almost all very young children are now using screens daily, with some spending several hours a day watching TV or digital content.

For busy parents trying to juggle work, childcare and family life, the message is not about banning screens altogether, but about using them more thoughtfully.

Why the government is issuing screen time advice now

According to the research, 98% of children aged two were watching screens every day, for an average of just over two hours. This is up from nine months old, when babies were already spending an average of 29 minutes a day looking at screens.

Crucially, the study found a clear link between higher screen use and lower vocabulary development. Two-year-olds with the highest screen time (around five hours a day) could say significantly fewer words than those who spent closer to 44 minutes a day on screens.

In a statement, Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said parents, teachers and nursery staff had raised concerns about the impact of heavy screen use on young children.

Too much passive screen time can start to crowd out the talking, play and reading that are so important for children’s language and development in the early years

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson

What the new guidance will cover

The government says the guidance will be practical and realistic, acknowledging that screens are now part of everyday family life.

“Screens are part of family life now. The question parents are asking isn’t whether to use them, but how to use them well,” Phillipson said.

Rather than focusing solely on limits, the advice will include ideas for using screens alongside activities such as talking, playing and reading together. Phillipson has previously suggested options like sharing a story on a tablet or using educational games as a joint activity, rather than leaving children to watch passively.

The guidance will also help parents find alternatives to screen time, especially for babies and toddlers who learn best through face-to-face interaction.

How screen time can affect language and behaviour

The research looked at the home learning environment of 4,758 children when they were nine months old and again at age two.

It found that higher screen use was independently associated with lower vocabulary scores. Children with the highest screen time could say, on average, 53% of a set of 34 test words, compared with 65% among those with the lowest screen use.

However, researchers also noted that overall language levels were similar to previous generations, with children able to say an average of 21 words, in line with cohorts from 2017 to 2020.

Alongside language development, the study found that around a quarter of children scored above the threshold indicating possible behavioural or emotional difficulties, an area experts say also deserves attention.

A panel of experts and parents

The guidance will be developed by a national working group led by the Children’s Commissioner for England, Dame Rachel de Souza, and Professor Russell Viner, a former Department for Education scientific adviser.

They will review the latest evidence and speak to parents, children and early years professionals before publishing their recommendations. The terms of reference for the group are expected to be published shortly.

What early years experts are saying

Felicity Gillespie, director of the charitable foundation Kindred Squared, said official advice was long overdue.

“Evidence-based screen time guidance for parents is overdue and very welcome,” she said.

We must increase public understanding of how screens and devices can interfere with the way babies and toddlers learn best, which is by looking at facial expressions, chatting, singing and play.

Felicity Gillespie, director of Kindred Squared

Polling by Kindred Squared suggests that 40% of parents believe reducing screen time would help ensure their child is ready for Reception, highlighting demand for clear, trusted advice.

Neil Leitch, CEO of the Early Years Alliance, also welcomed the plans but stressed the need for a broader approach.

While we broadly welcome plans to develop new guidance on screen time for under-fives, with technology now such an integral part of young children’s lives

Neil Leitch, CEO of the Early Years Alliance

"It’s important that any such support on this topic sits within a much wider framework of guidance for families and educators on digital literacy and online safety,” he said.

How this fits with existing advice

The World Health Organization currently recommends a maximum of one hour of screen time a day for children aged two to four.

The new government guidance is expected to sit alongside this, offering more tailored, UK-focused advice for parents navigating screen use at home.

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For many families, the aim will be reassurance rather than judgement, helping parents make small, realistic changes that support their child’s development in the early years.

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