Parents are being warned not to let their toddlers stay glued to screens, as researchers find children who use the devices for five or more hours say fewer words.
The government is to give parents guidance on how long under-fives should spend watching TV or looking at computer screens.
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said around 98 per cent of children were watching screens on a daily basis by the age of just two – with parents, teachers and nursery staff saying children were finding it harder to hold conversations or concentrate on learning.
The first guidance on the issue will be published in April, with Ms Phillipson insisting it will be ‘shaped by parents, not dictated to them’.
New research by the government suggests that higher screen use for under-twos is linked to poorer language development.
The children with the highest screen time – around five hours a day – could say significantly fewer words than those at the other end of the scale who watched for around 44 minutes.
Ms Phillipson, writing in the Sunday Times, said: ‘Like so many parents, I’ve had evenings where you give in when your little one wants “just one more” episode of their favourite show.
‘But we’re beginning to see the risks when ‘just one more’ starts to add up.’
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said: ‘Like so many parents, I’ve had evenings where you give in when your little one wants “just one more” episode of their favourite show. ‘But we’re beginning to see the risks when “just one more” starts to add up’
New government research has shown that children who use their smartphones or watch TV for longer than five hours a day say fewer words
She acknowledged that screens ‘are not going anywhere’ but added ‘so let’s use them well’, suggesting that parents could share a story on a tablet computer or use it for educational games.
The guidance will also help parents come up with alternatives to screen time for their children.
Ms Phillipson said: ‘As adults, how many of us walk around with our face in our phones? Or sit on the train fixated on our tablet? We use them for hours every day, and maybe wish we didn’t, but what about our children?
‘Research shows that by age two, almost all children – around 98% – are watching screens such as mobiles, tablets, and TV every day, during a critical period for language development.
‘Parents, teachers and nursery workers talk about children arriving at nursery and school and finding it harder to hold conversations, focus, or engage in learning.’
The terms of reference for the national working group, which will be led by children’s commissioner for England Dame Rachel de Souza and Department for Education scientific adviser Professor Russell Viner, will be published on Monday.
Parents, children and early years practitioners will all be involved in the process.
Ms Phillipson said: ‘I want this to be shaped with parents, not dictated to them, and we’ll be using our engagement sessions over the next few weeks to understand exactly what they want the guidance to include.
‘This is about offering clear, practical advice on how screens fit alongside the everyday activities that matter most in the early years, including talking, playing and reading together.’