Screen Time Tips from a Paediatric OT: Finding Balance for Happy, Healthy Kids
By Cara Adler – Paediatric Occupational Therapist, Sydney Kids OT
As a paediatric occupational therapist, I work with children and families every day to support development, wellbeing, and regulation. One topic that comes up regularly in sessions and parent chats is screen time. From tablets and smart TVs to online learning, gaming, and YouTube, screens are a big part of modern life and they’re not going away.
The challenge isn’t just about reducing screen time. It’s about finding the right kind of screen use, at the right times, in ways that support your child’s growth. Here are some practical, evidence-informed strategies to help you set boundaries and support healthy habits around screen time.
- Set Clear, Predictable Routines
Children respond best to consistency. When screen time is offered at random or without limits, it often leads to arguments, disappointment, or difficulty transitioning off. Set simple, predictable rules around when and for how long screens can be used, such as 30 minutes after school or one movie on weekends, and stick to them.
Use timers or countdown warnings to signal when screen time is ending. Visual schedules can also help, especially for younger children or those with additional needs. A screen time contract can be drawn up with older children which is written together with your child.
- Prioritise Movement Before Screens
Movement is vital for regulation, focus, and emotional wellbeing. Ideally, children should have opportunities to move and play before they settle into screen-based activities. Even just 15–20 minutes of active play can make a big difference to their ability to engage with screens calmly and transition off without meltdowns.
Try encouraging outdoor play, jumping on the trampoline, dancing, or rough-and-tumble play before screen time is offered.
- Choose Interactive Over Passive Screen Use
Not all screen time is equal. Watching long stretches of videos or passively scrolling can leave kids dysregulated and overstimulated. Interactive use, such as drawing apps, video calls, coding games, or movement-based activities, tends to be more engaging and developmentally beneficial.
Co-playing or choosing content that involves creativity and problem-solving can also improve the quality of your child’s screen use.
- Pay Attention to Behaviour After Screens
One of the simplest ways to know whether your child is having too much screen time, or the wrong kind, is to observe how they behave afterwards. If they’re consistently irritable, hyperactive, teary, or unable to transition to another activity, that’s a sign the screen time may be dysregulating.
You might try reducing the amount of time, switching the type of content, or following screen time with a calming sensory activity like reading, drawing, or swinging.
- Be Present and Engaged When You Can
Whenever possible, sit with your child while they’re on screens (I know this can be difficult especially since it’s such a good babysitter!). Talk about what they’re watching or doing, ask questions, and help them process what they see. This makes screen time more social, more meaningful, and less isolating.
It’s also a chance to teach emotional regulation and social thinking. For example, by pausing a show to discuss how a character is feeling or what they could have done differently.
- Balance “Green Time” with Screen Time
Time in nature is known to support focus, reduce stress, and improve sensory integration. Where possible, aim to offer more outdoor time than screen time each day. This doesn’t have to be structured, playing in the backyard, walking to the park, or collecting leaves can all help.
Some families find success by “earning” screen time through outdoor play or movement-based activities first.
- Model the Habits You Want to See
Children are incredibly perceptive, and they learn a lot by watching the adults around them. If we’re constantly checking emails or watching videos at the dinner table, it’s hard to ask kids to do differently.
- Create Screen Free Zones
Try to create a few screen-free zones in your home. For example, at the table during mealtimes and in bedrooms. Keeping phones and devices out of these areas helps signal that they’re places for connection, rest, and calm.
Final Thoughts
Screens aren’t inherently harmful, but when they displace movement, outdoor time, social interaction or sleep, they can impact your child’s development and regulation. With some clear boundaries, consistent routines, and an understanding of what helps your child feel balanced, screen time can be just one healthy part of a well-rounded day.
If you can hold off giving your child a phone until they are 13- do it! Speak to your child’s friend’s parents about their thoughts on when they will be giving their children phones. It’s easier to implement and control if you are all on the same page.
Parental controls on devices are essential for safety so become familiar with them and keep checking what your children are watching on their screens.
If you’re concerned about how screen time is affecting your child’s behaviour, regulation, or routines, we’re here to help. At Sydney Kids OT, our therapists work closely with families to develop personalised strategies that work in everyday life.