Babies under 2 need little to no screen time: the WHO and the Indian Academy of Pediatrics advise no screens before age 2, while the AAP allows video calls with family and, from 18 months, high-quality content watched together with a parent.

On the days a screen feels like the easiest option, here are a few simple things to try instead. When it comes to screen time for babies under 2, less is generally better. Real play, movement, touch, sleep, and simple back-and-forth with the people around them count for a lot at this age.

What the Guidelines Say About Screen Time for Babies Under 2

Most major health guidelines, including the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), the World Health Organization (WHO), and the Indian Academy of Pediatrics (IAP), are fairly aligned on this:

• The WHO, the Indian Academy of Pediatrics (IAP) and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) all advise little to no screen time before age 2, though their age cutoffs differ slightly.

  Age	WHO	IAP	AAP
  Under 1 year	No screen time	No screens	No screens except video calls
  1 year to 18 months	No sedentary screen time	No screens	No screens except video calls
  18 to 24 months	No sedentary screen time	No screens, occasional family video calls	If introduced, high-quality content watched together
  2 years	Up to 1 hour, less is better	Up to 1 hour, supervised	Focus on quality and co-viewing

Either way, less is still better at this age. This isn't about being strict. Babies learn through touch, movement, sounds, and interactions with the people around them. Screens can't fully replace these experiences.

In 2026, the AAP updated its guidance to look beyond screen time limits alone, encouraging parents to consider what children watch, whether screens are used to calm them, and what important activities screen time might be replacing.

Is Screen Time Really Bad for Toddlers and Babies? What's Happening Behind the Screen

Colors change, sounds shift, and scenes cut fast, while a baby's eyes and brain are still learning to track and make sense of things at a slower pace. Real life gives a baby time to reach, drop, look up, and try again. A screen doesn't wait for any of that.

It also can't respond the way you do. There's no eye contact, no babbling back and forth, no little pause where your baby works something out alone. That back-and-forth is how language and connection start to grow, in tiny everyday moments.

Most of the time, what a baby seems to want most is someone noticing them back.

What You Can Do Instead of Screen Time for Babies Under 2

There's plenty to do without a screen. A few simple things fill the same space just as well:

• Simple, open-ended toys: a wooden rattle, a crinkle mat, a soft ball to reach for
• A basket of household objects: a wooden spoon, a small bowl, a scrap of fabric
• Unscheduled floor time, just watching what your baby notices without steering it
• A short walk, even around the living room, talking about what you both see
• Music without a screen attached: humming, singing, or a simple speaker

Across the 0–24 month TinkerBox journey, the boxes are built around simple, screen-free play: rattles, a crinkle mat, flashcards, a mirror, books, stackers, sorters, puzzles, and other hands-on objects. None of them is meant to replace your presence. They just give your baby something real to touch, notice, reach for, listen to, and explore with you nearby.

When You Actually Need a Few Minutes

There will be days you need five minutes to shower, cook, or just sit down. That's real, and no apology needed. A safe spot on the floor with a couple of toys, a mirror, or a basket of fabric scraps can hold a baby's attention for a little while, no screen needed.

Some families call this an "independent play" corner. For babies under 2, it may feel more natural to think of it as a quiet play space: a safe spot with a few familiar objects, where your baby can explore while you stay nearby.

Sometimes, a basket of ordinary objects can hold a baby's attention for longer than you'd expect.

A Small Thought on Background Noise and Screen Time for Toddlers

Even when your baby isn't looking at it, a TV in the background changes the sound and rhythm of a room. Conversations get shorter, and play gets a little more scattered.

If the TV usually plays at home, switching it off for parts of the day, like meals, floor time, or the walk to the park, can make a real difference.

None of this means screens have no place at all. It's just that with screen time for babies under 2, the best moments usually happen away from the screen, in the reaching, the noticing, and the simple act of being together.

And on the days a screen feels like the easiest option, that's okay too. Tomorrow's floor time will still be there.

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