Kids Screen Time and Technology Statistics 2026
This page brings together current figures on children and technology: when kids get their first tablet or smartphone, how many hours they spend on screens at different ages, how social media and AI chatbots reach children under the minimum age, how families use rules and parental controls, and what parents worry about most. Most data are from the US, with comparison figures from Canada, Quebec, Australia, Ireland, Hungary and OECD and WHO Europe surveys. Figures describe 2024 to 2026 where available; a few core measures come from surveys run in 2021 to 2023.
By the HearSmart research desk · Updated November 8, 2026 · 51 numbers drawn from 19 publishers and reports
Short answer
US children aged 8 and younger average 2 hours 27 minutes of screen time a day and 40% have their own tablet by age 2 (Common Sense Media), while half of US teens report four or more hours of daily screen time (CDC). 23% of US children 12 and under have their own smartphone (Pew Research Center, 2025), against about 70% of 10-year-olds across OECD countries. Parents set rules more often than they use tech tools: 86% have screen rules, but parental controls are on only 51% of tablets and 47% of smartphones (Family Online Safety Institute).
Headline numbers
- 40%40% of US children have their own tablet by age 2, according to Common Sense Media's 2025 census of children 8 and younger.Common Sense Media
- 23%23% of US parents with a child 12 or younger say the child has their own smartphone, according to Pew Research Center's 2025 survey.Pew Research Center
- 70%About 70% of fourth graders, around age 10, have their own smartphone in OECD countries with PIRLS data (OECD, 2025 report).OECD
- 2:27US children aged 8 and younger spend 2 hours 27 minutes a day with screen media on average, according to Common Sense Media's 2025 census.Common Sense Media
- 50.4%50.4% of US teens aged 12 to 17 had four or more hours of daily screen time between July 2021 and December 2023, the CDC's National Center for Health Statistics reports.CDC National Center for Health Statistics
- 80%80% of Australian children aged 8 to 12 used one or more social media services in 2024 (eSafety Commissioner).eSafety Commissioner (Australia)
- 51%US parents of children aged 10 to 17 use parental controls on 51% of tablets, 47% of smartphones and 35% of video game consoles (Family Online Safety Institute, 2025).Family Online Safety Institute (FOSI)
- 75%75% of US parents rate too much screen time or device use as a big problem for children and teens, tied with social media at the top of the 2025 Mott Poll list.C.S. Mott Children's Hospital National Poll on Children's Health (University of Michigan Health)
Reading the numbers
Device ownership starts in toddlerhood. Common Sense Media finds 40% of US children own a tablet by age 2 and 58% by age 4, and Pew Research Center reports that 68% of parents of children 12 and under say their child uses a tablet. Smartphones arrive later in the US than in Europe: Pew puts own-smartphone ownership at 23% for children 12 and under, while the OECD counts about 70% of fourth graders with their own phone and Hungary's NMHH finds more than 80% of 11 to 12 year olds with one. Ireland shows that collective parent action can delay phones, as CyberSafeKids reports only 54% of 12-year-olds in primary school with a smartphone against 92% once they move to secondary school.
Screen hours climb steadily with age. Common Sense Media measures about one hour a day for children under 2, two hours for ages 2 to 4 and three and a half hours for ages 5 to 8. The CDC finds half of US teens with four or more hours a day, and the OECD puts 60% of 15-year-olds above two hours of leisure screen time on weekdays. Statistics Canada shows the share of children meeting the two-hour guideline falling from 73% before the pandemic to 62%. Household income matters: US children in lower-income homes average close to twice the screen time of children in higher-income homes.
Age limits on social media are widely bypassed. The eSafety Commissioner found 80% of Australian 8 to 12 year olds used social media in 2024, more than half through a parent's account, and CyberSafeKids finds 70% of Irish 8 to 12 year olds on 13+ apps. AI chatbots are the newest layer: Pew Research Center reports 64% of US teens use them, and CyberSafeKids finds 55% of Irish primary pupils have. The CDC links heavy screen use with roughly double the rate of anxiety and depression symptoms among teens, though the survey cannot show cause.
Parents rely more on rules than on software. Pew Research Center finds 86% of US parents of young children have screen rules, yet only 19% always enforce them, and 65% say they spend too much time on their own phones. The Family Online Safety Institute finds parental controls on about half of children's tablets and fewer phones and consoles. Screen time and social media tie at the top of the 2025 Mott Poll list of parent concerns, each named a big problem by 75% of parents.
Device ownership among young children and tweens
- 1.
40% of US children have their own tablet by age 2, according to Common Sense Media's 2025 census of children 8 and younger.
Common Sense Media, Digital Childhood Starts at Age Two: Landmark Study Shows Evolution of Young Children's Media Use (Feb 2025)
Exact wording at the source
By age 2, four in 10 children have their own tablet (40%).
- 2.
58% of US children have their own tablet by age 4, Common Sense Media found.
Common Sense Media, Digital Childhood Starts at Age Two: Landmark Study Shows Evolution of Young Children's Media Use (Feb 2025)
Exact wording at the source
By age 4, more than half (58%) of children have their own tablet.
- 3.
51% of US children aged 8 and younger have their own mobile device, either a tablet or a cellphone (Common Sense Media).
Common Sense Media, Digital Childhood Starts at Age Two: Landmark Study Shows Evolution of Young Children's Media Use (Feb 2025)
Exact wording at the source
Overall, 51% of children age 8 and younger have their own mobile device (tablet or cellphone).
- 4.
68% of US parents of children 12 and younger say their child uses a tablet and 61% say their child uses a smartphone (Pew Research Center, 2025).
Pew Research Center, How Parents Manage Screen Time for Kids (Oct 2025)
Exact wording at the source
Nine-in-ten parents of kids ages 12 and younger say their child ever watches TV, 68% say they use a tablet and 61% say they use a smartphone.
- 5.
23% of US parents with a child 12 or younger say the child has their own smartphone, according to Pew Research Center's 2025 survey.
Pew Research Center, How Parents Describe Their Kids' Tech Use (Oct 2025)
Exact wording at the source
About a quarter of parents with a child age 12 or younger say that their child has their own smartphone (23%).
- 6.
29% of US parents of an 8 to 10 year old say the child has their own smartphone, rising to roughly six in ten for children aged 11 or 12 (Pew Research Center, 2025).
Pew Research Center, How Parents Manage Screen Time for Kids (Oct 2025)
Exact wording at the source
Roughly six-in-ten parents of an 11- or 12-year-old say their child has their own smartphone, compared with 29% of parents of an 8- to 10-year-old and about one-in-ten who say so about a younger kid.
- 7.
About 70% of fourth graders, around age 10, have their own smartphone in OECD countries with PIRLS data (OECD, 2025 report).
OECD, How's Life for Children in the Digital Age? Chapter 3: How children use digital media (May 2025)
Exact wording at the source
Approximately 70% of fourth-grade students, around age 10, have their own smartphone in OECD countries where there is available PIRLS data (Figure 3.2, Panel A).
- 8.
98% of 15-year-olds in OECD countries own their own smartphone, on average (OECD, 2025 report using PISA 2022 data).
OECD, How's Life for Children in the Digital Age? Chapter 3: How children use digital media (May 2025)
Exact wording at the source
On average, 98% of 15-year-olds own their own smartphone, and disparities by socio-economic status are minimal in most countries.
- 9.
More than 80% of Hungarian children aged 11 to 12 have their own phone, according to the NMHH survey run in late 2024 and early 2025.
National Media and Infocommunications Authority (NMHH), Hungary, Digital childhood starts ever earlier (2025)
Exact wording at the source
Almost a third of 7–8 year olds and nearly two thirds of 9–10 year olds have their own phone, and this proportion is over 80% for 11–12 year olds.
- 10.
7% of Hungarian children aged 4 to 6 already use a mobile phone, the NMHH survey found.
National Media and Infocommunications Authority (NMHH), Hungary, Digital childhood starts ever earlier (2025)
Exact wording at the source
The emergence of mobile devices in the pre-school age group is also noticeable, with 7% of children surveyed already using a mobile phone at the age of 4–6.
- 11.
93% of Irish 12 to 15 year olds own a smartphone and 99% own at least one smart device, according to CyberSafeKids' 2025 to 2026 school survey.
CyberSafeKids, The Year Little Changed: Trends and Usage Report 2025-26 (Aug 2026)
Exact wording at the source
Smart device ownership among 12–15-year-olds remains high at 99%, with 93% owning a smartphone and many owning multiple devices (Figure 39).
- 12.
Smartphone ownership among Irish 12-year-olds jumps from 54% in primary school to 92% in secondary school (CyberSafeKids, 2025 to 2026 school year).
CyberSafeKids, The Year Little Changed: Trends and Usage Report 2025-26 (Aug 2026)
Exact wording at the source
There is a substantial increase in smartphone ownership among 12–year-olds from 54% in primary schools to 92% in post-primary schools.
- 13.
30% of Irish 8 to 12 year olds own a smartwatch, up from 22% a year earlier (CyberSafeKids).
CyberSafeKids, The Year Little Changed: Trends and Usage Report 2025-26 (Aug 2026)
Exact wording at the source
smartwatches are far more popular this year than last (30% ownership, up from 22%).
- 14.
68% of US parents say children should generally be at least 12 before having their own smartphone (Pew Research Center, 2025).
Pew Research Center, How Parents Describe Their Kids' Tech Use (Oct 2025)
Exact wording at the source
Asked about kids in general, most parents (68%) say children should be at least 12 before having a smartphone of their own.
How much screen time young children get
- 15.
US children aged 8 and younger spend 2 hours 27 minutes a day with screen media on average, according to Common Sense Media's 2025 census.
Common Sense Media, The 2025 Common Sense Census: Media Use by Kids Zero to Eight (Feb 2025)
Exact wording at the source
Children age 8 and younger spend about two and a half hours (2:27) a day with screen media.
- 16.
US children aged 5 to 8 average about 3 hours 28 minutes of screen media a day (Common Sense Media).
Common Sense Media, The 2025 Common Sense Census: Media Use by Kids Zero to Eight (Feb 2025)
Exact wording at the source
Those age 5 to 8 use screens for about three and a half hours daily (3:28).
- 17.
US children aged 2 to 4 average 2 hours 8 minutes of screen time a day, and children under 2 average just over an hour (Common Sense Media).
Common Sense Media, The 2025 Common Sense Census: Media Use by Kids Zero to Eight (Feb 2025)
Exact wording at the source
Use of screen media varies between age groups, with children under age 2 spending an average of one hour and three minutes on screens per day, while 2- to 4-year-olds average nearly two hours (2:08), and 5- to 8-year-olds average around three and a half hours per day (3:28) (see Figure 3).
- 18.
US children 8 and younger in lower-income households spend 3 hours 48 minutes a day on screens, against 1 hour 52 minutes in higher-income households (Common Sense Media).
Common Sense Media, Digital Childhood Starts at Age Two: Landmark Study Shows Evolution of Young Children's Media Use (Feb 2025)
Exact wording at the source
Children from lower-income households are spending nearly twice as much time with screens compared to those from higher-income households (3:48 vs. 1:52 minutes daily).
- 19.
Gaming time among US children 8 and younger rose 65% between 2020 and 2024, Common Sense Media reports.
Common Sense Media, Digital Childhood Starts at Age Two: Landmark Study Shows Evolution of Young Children's Media Use (Feb 2025)
Exact wording at the source
Gaming time has surged 65% since 2020, and traditional TV viewing has declined, while short-form video platforms like TikTok and YouTube Shorts are on the rise, underscoring the increasingly complex media environment that parents must navigate in their children's early years.
- 20.
US children 8 and younger now average 14 minutes a day on short-video apps such as TikTok, Reels and YouTube Shorts, up from one minute in early 2020 (Common Sense Media).
Common Sense Media, The 2025 Common Sense Census: Media Use by Kids Zero to Eight (Feb 2025)
Exact wording at the source
Children are watching less live television and cable, and are spending more time watching short videos on apps like TikTok, Instagram Reels, or YouTube Shorts, with an average daily use of 14 minutes compared to one minute in early 2020.
- 21.
85% of US parents of children 12 and younger say their child watches YouTube, including 51% who say the child watches daily (Pew Research Center, 2025).
Pew Research Center, How Parents Describe Their Kids' Tech Use (Oct 2025)
Exact wording at the source
YouTube is widely used: 85% of parents say their child watches YouTube, including 51% who say that’s daily use.
- 22.
62% of Canadian children aged 5 to 11 met the guideline of no more than two hours of recreational screen time a day in 2022 to 2024, down from 73% in 2018 to 2019 (Statistics Canada).
Statistics Canada, Directly measured physical activity and sedentary time in Canada: New results from the Canadian Health Measures Survey, 2022 to 2024 (Oct 2025)
Exact wording at the source
In the period from 2018 to 2019, 73% of children aged 5 to 11 years met the screen time recommendation, compared with 62% in the period from 2022 to 2024.
- 23.
Nearly 43% of Quebec toddlers aged two and a half spend at least one hour a day on screens during the week, and 65% do on weekends (Institut de la statistique du Québec).
Institut de la statistique du Québec, Toddlers' screen time on the rise: Growing Up in Québec study (Dec 2025)
Exact wording at the source
At two and a half years old, nearly 43% of toddlers are getting at least one hour of screen time per day on average during the week.
- 24.
Nearly 59% of Quebec toddlers aged two and a half watch children's shows, videos or movies at least once a day, up from 39% a year earlier (Institut de la statistique du Québec).
Institut de la statistique du Québec, Toddlers' screen time on the rise: Growing Up in Québec study (Dec 2025)
Exact wording at the source
At two and a half years, nearly 59% of toddlers watch children’s shows, videos or movies at least once a day.
- 25.
The American Academy of Pediatrics says infants under 18 months learn best from real-world interactions rather than screens.
American Academy of Pediatrics, Where We Stand: Screen Time (HealthyChildren.org) (2026)
Exact wording at the source
Infants under 18 months learn best from real-world interactions.
Teen screen time and its links to wellbeing
- 26.
50.4% of US teens aged 12 to 17 had four or more hours of daily screen time between July 2021 and December 2023, the CDC's National Center for Health Statistics reports.
CDC National Center for Health Statistics, Daily Screen Time Among Teenagers: United States, July 2021 Through December 2023 (NCHS Data Brief No. 513) (Oct 2024)
Exact wording at the source
During July 2021 through December 2023, one-half of teenagers ages 12–17 had 4 hours or more of daily screen time (50.4%).
- 27.
55.0% of US teens aged 15 to 17 had four or more hours of daily screen time, compared with 45.6% of those aged 12 to 14 (CDC NCHS, 2021 to 2023).
CDC National Center for Health Statistics, Daily Screen Time Among Teenagers: United States, July 2021 Through December 2023 (NCHS Data Brief No. 513) (Oct 2024)
Exact wording at the source
Teenagers ages 15–17 (55.0%) were more likely than those ages 12–14 (45.6%) to have4 hours or more of daily screen time ( Figure 2 , Table 2 ).
- 28.
27.1% of US teens with four or more hours of daily screen time had anxiety symptoms in the past two weeks, against 12.3% of teens with less screen time (CDC NCHS).
CDC National Center for Health Statistics, Daily Screen Time Among Teenagers: United States, July 2021 Through December 2023 (NCHS Data Brief No. 513) (Oct 2024)
Exact wording at the source
Teenagers who had 4 or more hours of daily screen time were more likely to have had anxiety symptoms in the past 2 weeks (27.1%) compared with teenagers with less than4 hours of daily screen time (12.3%).
- 29.
25.9% of US teens with four or more hours of daily screen time had depression symptoms in the past two weeks, against 9.5% of teens with less screen time (CDC NCHS).
CDC National Center for Health Statistics, Daily Screen Time Among Teenagers: United States, July 2021 Through December 2023 (NCHS Data Brief No. 513) (Oct 2024)
Exact wording at the source
Teenagers who had 4 or more hours of daily screen time were more likely to have had depression symptoms in the past 2 weeks (25.9%) compared with teenagers with less than4 hours of daily screen time (9.5%).
- 30.
60% of 15-year-olds in OECD countries spend more than two hours a day on digital devices for leisure on weekdays, ranging from 24% in Japan to over 80% in Estonia (OECD).
OECD, How's Life for Children in the Digital Age? Chapter 3: How children use digital media (May 2025)
Exact wording at the source
Figure 3.4 shows that a majority of the 15-year-olds in the OECD (60%) spend more than two hours per day on weekdays (Panel A).
- 31.
11% of adolescents aged 11 to 15 across 44 countries and regions in Europe, Central Asia and Canada showed signs of problematic social media use in 2022 (WHO Europe, HBSC study).
WHO Regional Office for Europe, Teens, screens and mental health (Sep 2024)
Exact wording at the source
More than 1 in 10 adolescents (11%) showed signs of problematic social media behaviour, struggling to control their use and experiencing negative consequences.
- 32.
12% of adolescents in the HBSC study were at risk of problematic gaming, with boys more affected than girls (16% vs 7%), WHO Europe reports.
WHO Regional Office for Europe, Teens, screens and mental health (Sep 2024)
Exact wording at the source
12% of adolescents are at risk of problematic gaming, with boys more likely than girls to show signs of problematic gaming (16% vs 7%).
- 33.
34% of adolescents in the HBSC study played digital games daily, and 22% played for at least four hours on gaming days (WHO Europe).
WHO Regional Office for Europe, Teens, screens and mental health (Sep 2024)
Exact wording at the source
A third (34%) of adolescents played digital games daily, with more than 1 in 5 (22%) playing for at least 4 hours on days when they engage in gaming.
Chart
US teens aged 12 to 17 by hours of daily screen time, %, 2021 to 2023
CDC NCHS, National Health Interview Survey Teen, self-reported, July 2021 to December 2023.
- Less than 1 hour3%
- 1 hour6.1%
- 2 hours17.8%
- 3 hours22.8%
- 4 hours or more50.4%
Source: CDC National Center for Health Statistics, Daily Screen Time Among Teenagers: United States, July 2021 Through December 2023 (NCHS Data Brief No. 513)
Social media, AI chatbots and online harms
- 34.
80% of Australian children aged 8 to 12 used one or more social media services in 2024 (eSafety Commissioner).
eSafety Commissioner (Australia), eSafety report shows widespread underage use of social media and minimal measures to prevent kids signing up (Feb 2025)
Exact wording at the source
80% of Australian children aged 8-12 used one or more social media services in 2024.
- 35.
54% of Australian 8 to 12 year olds who used social media did so through a parent's or carer's account (eSafety Commissioner).
eSafety Commissioner (Australia), eSafety report shows widespread underage use of social media and minimal measures to prevent kids signing up (Feb 2025)
Exact wording at the source
54% of children aged 8-12 who had used social media accessed these services via their parent’s or carer’s account(s)
- 36.
36% of Australian 8 to 12 year olds who used social media had their own account, and 77% of them had help setting it up (eSafety Commissioner).
eSafety Commissioner (Australia), eSafety report shows widespread underage use of social media and minimal measures to prevent kids signing up (Feb 2025)
Exact wording at the source
36% of children aged 8-12 who had used social media had their own account with 77% of those saying they had help to set up their account(s).
- 37.
70% of Irish 8 to 12 year olds have accounts on social media apps with a minimum age of 13 (CyberSafeKids, 2026).
CyberSafeKids, Trends and Usage Report 2026 (Aug 2026)
Exact wording at the source
Despite legislative changes, 70% of 8–12-year-olds still have accounts on 13+ social media apps.
- 38.
55% of Irish primary school children aged 8 to 12 and 76% of secondary pupils aged 12 to 15 used AI chatbots (CyberSafeKids, 2026).
CyberSafeKids, Trends and Usage Report 2026 (Aug 2026)
Exact wording at the source
Generative AI use among young people has exploded: a huge 55% of primary school children (aged 8–12) and 76% of secondary school (aged 12–15) used chatbots for homework, friendship and information.
- 39.
64% of US teens aged 13 to 17 say they use AI chatbots, including about three in ten who use them daily (Pew Research Center, 2025).
Pew Research Center, Teens, Social Media and AI Chatbots 2025 (Dec 2025)
Exact wording at the source
Roughly two-thirds of teens (64%) say they ever use an AI chatbot.
- 40.
15% of US parents say their child aged 12 or younger uses TikTok (Pew Research Center, 2025).
Pew Research Center, How Parents Describe Their Kids' Tech Use (Oct 2025)
Exact wording at the source
Social media Some 15% of parents say their child uses TikTok.
- 41.
74% of Australian children surveyed had ever seen or heard content associated with harm online (eSafety Commissioner).
eSafety Commissioner (Australia), The online experiences of children in Australia (2025)
Exact wording at the source
Almost 3 in 4 (74%) children had ever seen or heard content associated with harm online.
- 42.
53% of Australian children surveyed had experienced cyberbullying (eSafety Commissioner).
eSafety Commissioner (Australia), The online experiences of children in Australia (2025)
Exact wording at the source
More than 1 in 2 (53%) had experienced cyberbullying.
Chart
Most used social media services among Australian children aged 8 to 12, %, 2024
eSafety Commissioner survey of Australian children aged 8 to 12, use during 2024.
- YouTube68%
- TikTok31%
- Snapchat19%
Source: eSafety Commissioner (Australia), eSafety report shows widespread underage use of social media and minimal measures to prevent kids signing up
Parental controls and household screen rules
- 43.
US parents of children aged 10 to 17 use parental controls on 51% of tablets, 47% of smartphones and 35% of video game consoles (Family Online Safety Institute, 2025).
Family Online Safety Institute (FOSI), Parental Controls for Online Safety are Underutilized, New Study Finds (May 2025)
Exact wording at the source
Adoption of parental controls varies widely: 51% on tablets, 47% on smartphones, 46% on desktops, 43% on laptops, 38% on Smart TVs, and 35% on video game consoles.
- 44.
89% of US children surveyed say they feel comfortable talking to their parents if something online makes them feel unsafe (Family Online Safety Institute, 2025).
Family Online Safety Institute (FOSI), Parental Controls for Online Safety are Underutilized, New Study Finds (May 2025)
Exact wording at the source
At the same time, the study reveals a promising insight: 89% of children say they feel comfortable talking to their parents if something online makes them feel unsafe.
- 45.
86% of US parents of children 12 and younger have rules around screens, but only 19% say they stick to them all the time (Pew Research Center, 2025).
Pew Research Center, How Parents Approach Their Kids' Screen Time (Oct 2025)
Exact wording at the source
Most parents have rules around screens: 86% of parents say so, but fewer say they stick to their rules all the time (19%).
- 46.
42% of US parents of children 12 and younger think they could do a better job managing their child's screen time (Pew Research Center, 2025).
Pew Research Center, How Parents Approach Their Kids' Screen Time (Oct 2025)
Exact wording at the source
Some parents think they could handle screen time better: 42% of parents think they could do a better job managing their child’s screen time.
- 47.
65% of US parents of children 12 and younger say they themselves spend too much time on their smartphone (Pew Research Center, 2025).
Pew Research Center, How Parents Approach Their Kids' Screen Time (Oct 2025)
Exact wording at the source
In our survey, about two-thirds of parents say they spend too much time on their smartphone (65%).
Chart
Share of US parents using parental controls, by device, 2025
Family Online Safety Institute survey of US parents of children aged 10 to 17, published May 2025.
- Tablets51%
- Smartphones47%
- Desktops46%
- Laptops43%
- Smart TVs38%
- Game consoles35%
Source: Family Online Safety Institute (FOSI), Parental Controls for Online Safety are Underutilized, New Study Finds
What parents worry about
- 48.
75% of US parents rate too much screen time or device use as a big problem for children and teens, tied with social media at the top of the 2025 Mott Poll list.
C.S. Mott Children's Hospital National Poll on Children's Health (University of Michigan Health), Top health concerns for 2025 (Aug 2025)
Exact wording at the source
The leading topics that parents rate as a big problem for US children and teens are: Social media (75%) Too much screen time/use of devices (75%) Internet safety (66%) Unhealthy diet (62%) Child/teen mental health (62%)
- 49.
83% of US parents think the mental health of children and teens is getting worse, and 69% say physical health is getting worse (Mott Poll, 2025).
C.S. Mott Children's Hospital National Poll on Children's Health (University of Michigan Health), Top health concerns for 2025 (Aug 2025)
Exact wording at the source
Overall, 69% of parents think the physical health of US children and teens is getting worse, and 83% think the mental health is getting worse.
- 50.
67% of US parents say technology companies should do more to set rules around what kids can do or see online, and 55% say lawmakers should (Pew Research Center, 2025).
Pew Research Center, How Parents Manage Screen Time for Kids (Oct 2025)
Exact wording at the source
Two-thirds of parents (67%) say tech companies should do more to set rules around what kids can do or see online, according to our May survey.
- 51.
75% of US parents of children 8 and younger are excited about their children learning new things through digital media, even as three quarters express concerns about screen media (Common Sense Media).
Common Sense Media, Digital Childhood Starts at Age Two: Landmark Study Shows Evolution of Young Children's Media Use (Feb 2025)
Exact wording at the source
And while three-quarters of parents express concerns about screen media, including excessive use and effects on mental health, many also recognize potential benefits, with 75% excited about their children learning new things through digital media.
Chart
Topics US parents rate as a big problem for children and teens, %, 2025
Mott Poll, national sample of US parents of children aged 1 to 18, February 2025.
- Social media75%
- Too much screen time75%
- Internet safety66%
- Unhealthy diet62%
- Child/teen mental health62%
Source: C.S. Mott Children's Hospital National Poll on Children's Health (University of Michigan Health), Top health concerns for 2025
Questions readers ask
- How much screen time do kids get a day?
- Common Sense Media finds US children 8 and younger average 2 hours 27 minutes of screen media a day, rising to about 3 hours 28 minutes for ages 5 to 8. Among teens, the CDC reports that 50.4% of US 12 to 17 year olds had four or more hours of daily screen time in 2021 to 2023.
- At what age do most kids get a smartphone?
- In the US, Pew Research Center finds 23% of children 12 and under have their own smartphone, rising to roughly six in ten at ages 11 to 12. Across OECD countries about 70% of 10-year-olds have one, and 98% of 15-year-olds do. Most US parents (68%) think children should be at least 12 before getting a smartphone.
- How many parents use parental controls?
- The Family Online Safety Institute's 2025 survey of US parents of 10 to 17 year olds found parental controls in use on 51% of tablets, 47% of smartphones and 35% of game consoles. Rules are more common than software: Pew Research Center finds 86% of parents of children 12 and under have screen rules, though only 19% stick to them all the time.
- How many young children use social media?
- Australia's eSafety Commissioner found 80% of children aged 8 to 12 used at least one social media service in 2024, with YouTube, TikTok and Snapchat the most popular. In Ireland, CyberSafeKids reports 70% of 8 to 12 year olds have accounts on apps with a minimum age of 13. In the US, 15% of parents of children 12 and under say their child uses TikTok (Pew Research Center).
- Is screen time linked to anxiety and depression in teens?
- The CDC found that 27.1% of US teens with four or more hours of daily screen time reported anxiety symptoms and 25.9% reported depression symptoms, against 12.3% and 9.5% of teens with less screen time. The survey shows an association, not cause and effect.
- What does the AAP recommend for screen time?
- The American Academy of Pediatrics says infants under 18 months learn best from real-world interactions. Its 2026 policy statement shifts attention from strict time limits toward family media plans, co-viewing and platform design that puts children's health first.
Where these numbers come from
We used primary sources only: research organizations and nonprofits that ran their own surveys (Pew Research Center, Common Sense Media, Family Online Safety Institute, CyberSafeKids), public health agencies (CDC National Center for Health Statistics, WHO Regional Office for Europe, American Academy of Pediatrics), statistical offices and regulators (Statistics Canada, Institut de la statistique du Québec, Australia's eSafety Commissioner, Hungary's NMHH), the OECD and the University of Michigan Health C.S. Mott Children's Hospital National Poll on Children's Health. Surveys differ in who answers: Pew, Common Sense Media and the Mott Poll ask parents, while the CDC, CyberSafeKids, the WHO HBSC study and part of the eSafety research ask children directly. Age bands, countries and definitions of screen time differ, and the CDC and WHO figures come from surveys run in 2021 to 2023. Associations between screen time and mental health do not show cause. Every quote was checked against the source page on the date shown. We store the sentence each number appears in, and a script loads the publisher's page again to make sure that sentence is still there. Our methodology has the details.
Sources
- American Academy of Pediatrics. Where We Stand: Screen Time (HealthyChildren.org) (2026).
- C.S. Mott Children's Hospital National Poll on Children's Health (University of Michigan Health). Top health concerns for 2025 (Aug 2025).
- CDC National Center for Health Statistics. Daily Screen Time Among Teenagers: United States, July 2021 Through December 2023 (NCHS Data Brief No. 513) (Oct 2024).
- Common Sense Media. Digital Childhood Starts at Age Two: Landmark Study Shows Evolution of Young Children's Media Use (Feb 2025).
- Common Sense Media. The 2025 Common Sense Census: Media Use by Kids Zero to Eight (Feb 2025).
- CyberSafeKids. The Year Little Changed: Trends and Usage Report 2025-26 (Aug 2026).
- CyberSafeKids. Trends and Usage Report 2026 (Aug 2026).
- eSafety Commissioner (Australia). eSafety report shows widespread underage use of social media and minimal measures to prevent kids signing up (Feb 2025).
- eSafety Commissioner (Australia). The online experiences of children in Australia (2025).
- Family Online Safety Institute (FOSI). Parental Controls for Online Safety are Underutilized, New Study Finds (May 2025).
- Institut de la statistique du Québec. Toddlers' screen time on the rise: Growing Up in Québec study (Dec 2025).
- National Media and Infocommunications Authority (NMHH), Hungary. Digital childhood starts ever earlier (2025).
- OECD. How's Life for Children in the Digital Age? Chapter 3: How children use digital media (May 2025).
- Pew Research Center. How Parents Manage Screen Time for Kids (Oct 2025).
- Pew Research Center. How Parents Describe Their Kids' Tech Use (Oct 2025).
- Pew Research Center. Teens, Social Media and AI Chatbots 2025 (Dec 2025).
- Pew Research Center. How Parents Approach Their Kids' Screen Time (Oct 2025).
- Statistics Canada. Directly measured physical activity and sedentary time in Canada: New results from the Canadian Health Measures Survey, 2022 to 2024 (Oct 2025).
- WHO Regional Office for Europe. Teens, screens and mental health (Sep 2024).
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HearSmart. (2026, November 8). Kids Screen Time and Technology Statistics 2026. https://hearsmart.org/kids-screen-time-statistics
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