Statistics · checked October 2026
Screen Time by Age Statistics (2026)
Reported daily screen time for every age band from toddlers to eighteen, with the sources and the gaps named.
Reported recreational screen time rises from about 0.8 hours a day under age two to about 4.4 hours at ages 8–10 and roughly 7.9 hours at 16–18, with the steepest single jump between ages 8 and 11 — which is when most children get a device of their own.
| Statistic | Figure | Year | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 2 | ~0.8 hours/day | 2025 | Common Sense Media |
| Ages 2–4 | ~2.0 hours/day | 2025 | Common Sense Media |
| Ages 5–7 | ~2.9 hours/day | 2025 | Ofcom |
| Ages 8–10 | ~4.4 hours/day | 2025 | Common Sense Media |
| Ages 11–12 | ~5.3 hours/day | 2025 | Common Sense Media |
| Ages 13–15 | ~7.3 hours/day | 2025 | Common Sense Media |
| Ages 16–18 | ~7.9 hours/day | 2025 | Common Sense Media |
| Largest single jump | Ages 8 to 11 | 2025 | Derived |
| Typical age at own device | 8–9 | 2025 | Ofcom |
| Short-form video share of the total, ages 8–12 | ~34% | 2025 | Media-use surveys |
| Gaming share, ages 8–12 | ~24% | 2025 | Media-use surveys |
| Schoolwork share, ages 8–12 | ~6% | 2025 | Media-use surveys |
The comparability warning
These figures come from different national surveys with different definitions of screen time and different years. Some include schoolwork and some do not. Treat the shape of the curve as reliable and any individual figure as approximate.
The jump between 8 and 11 tracks device ownership more closely than it tracks anything about the children.
Frequently asked
How much screen time is normal for a 10 year old?
Around 4.4 hours a day of recreational screen time in high-income countries, though national averages range from about 2.4 to 5.5 hours.
When does screen time increase most?
Between ages 8 and 11, which is when most children move from a shared family device to one of their own.
Does screen time include schoolwork?
Not in these figures. Schoolwork adds roughly another 1 to 1.5 hours a day for most school-age children.
AlphaBetaMinds (2026). Screen Time by Age Statistics. Retrieved from https://alphabetaminds.com/statistics/child-screen-time-by-age