Skip navigation

Physical Activity, Play, and Screen Time for Children

Physical Activity, Play, and Screen Time for Children

Healthy screen use and young children

A child's brain grows the most during the first few years of life. During this time, it’s important for babies, toddlers, and preschoolers to explore, play and interact with others to learn about the world around them. While screens can easily get your child’s attention and keep them busy, looking at screens does not have the same rich learning opportunities as live interactions with others. It’s important to limit how much time your child spends in front of a screen.

Setting limits when your child is young is easier than cutting back when they’re older!

The balance of moving, sitting and sleeping

The Canadian 24- Hour Movement Guidelines for the Early Years (0-4 years) (external link) recommends that children get a healthy balance of moving, sitting and sleep each day for their overall well-being.

Canadian Paediatric Society recommendations

For children under 2 years old, screen use is not recommended. The exception is video chatting with caring adults, such as extended family.

For children 2 to 5 years old, limit sedentary or inactive screen use to one hour or less per day.

Tips for healthy screen time habits

  • Role model healthy screen use yourself – on all devices!
  • Be present and engaged if screens are used, and ensure it is age appropriate.
  • Prioritize educational and interactive programming rather than programs that just require pushing, swiping or staring at the screen.
  • Turn off screens when not in use and avoid background television.
  • Limit screen time by using your device’s built in features or parental control apps.
  • Set screen-free routines. Keep mealtimes, playtimes and bedtime screen-free.
  • Avoid screens for at least 1 hour before your child’s bedtime and naptime.
  • Replace screen-use with screen-free activities like reading, arts and crafts, games, building toys or outdoor play.

The importance of physical activity in young children

Children learn through movement and active play. From tummy time to running around the park, being active helps build your child’s brain and body. Being active helps your child grow strong, stay healthy, develop basic movement skills and build confidence in their abilities. For healthy growth and development, the Canadian guidelines recommend the following.

Infants

Infants (aged less than 1 year) are physically active several times daily – especially through interactive floor-based play. Babies not yet mobile should get at least 30 minutes of tummy time (external link) spread throughout the day while awake. Some tips to make tummy time easier include:

  • Start slowly – a few minutes each day on their tummy, gradually increasing the time
  • Try laying your baby on your lap or chest if they don’t like the floor
  • Keep tummy time fun by having toys, mirrors and playing with your baby while they are on their tummy

Being active as an infant means:

  • Tummy time
  • Reaching for or grasping balls or other toys
  • Playing or rolling on the floor
  • Crawling around the home

Toddlers and preschoolers

Toddlers (aged 1-2 years) and preschoolers (aged 3-4 years) get at least 180 minutes of physical activity at any intensity spread throughout the day, including:

  • A variety of activities in different environments, including indoors and outdoors.
  • Activities that develop movement skills;
  • Moving toward at least 60 minutes of energetic play by 5 years of age.

Being active as a toddler/preschooler means:

  • Any activity that gets kids moving
  • Climbing stairs and moving around the home
  • Playing outside and exploring the outdoors
  • Crawling, walking, jumping, running or dancing

Sit less, play more

To grow up healthy, children need to sit less and play more. For parents/caregivers of children ages 0-4 years, it’s important to minimize the time your child spends inactive while they are awake.

  • Limit prolonged sitting or being restrained (like in strollers or highchairs) to no more than one hour at a time while awake.
  • When your child is sitting or inactive, choose activities that help them learn, like reading books or telling stories together.

Tips to get your child moving

  • Young children love to move! Give them lots of chances to be active every day.
  • Create safe spaces for play.
  • Get outside and play! Dress for the weather and explore the outdoors.
  • Play music and learn action songs together.
  • Make time for play time with other children.
  • Incorporate activity into everyday life by walking or biking to the park or school
  • Be a good role model by being active yourself!

The benefits of play

You are your child’s favourite toy! Build connection with your child everyday through play (external link).

Play is how children learn and grow. It helps them to make sense of their world, learn about themselves, and build relationships with others. Play supports brain development, strengthens the body, and improves social skills. Finding a few moments every day to connect and play with your child can help strengthen your relationship. Help your child learn by providing lots of opportunities for them to play.

What playtime develops

  • Cognitive Skills: Improves problem- solving, critical thinking, decision-making and improves concentration.
  • Social Skills: Teaches cooperation, sharing, negotiating and ability to resolve conflicts with peers.
  • Emotional Development: Encourages exploration of emotions, builds empathy and helps manage feelings.
  • Physical Development: Improves fine and gross motor skills and enhances coordination and overall health.
  • Creativity and Imagination: Stimulates imagination, creativity and promotes make-believe games and pretend worlds.

Tips to help your child learn through play

  • Make time for play every day.
  • Small moments matter. Play doesn’t have to last long to be meaningful.
  • Ensure the play environment is safe and allows for exploration.
  • Set aside specific times each day for free, unstructured play, both indoors and outdoors.
  • Provide opportunities for your child to play with other children.
  • Prioritize fun and enjoyment for both of you -whether reading a book, doing crafts, or going to the park.
  • Follow your child’s lead.

Healthy development through active and risky play

For young children, play is their main form of physical activity. Access to active play, whether indoors, outdoors or in nature is very important for healthy child development.

About risky play

Children love the fun and excitement of risky play! Risky play is a natural part of children’s play. It involves doing a thrilling and exciting activity that involves a chance of physical injury. Risky play happens when a child sees a challenge and decides what to do based on how comfortable and skilled they feel. For example, choosing how high they climb on a play structure, how fast they run down a hill, or ride their bike.

Risky play is important for child development (external link). It can help develop a child’s self-confidence, motor skills, creativity and executive functioning abilities (goal setting, attention, focus and spatial awareness).

Promoting risky play

As a parent/caregiver, you can promote risky play and keep your child safe by providing them with the time, space, encouragement, and appropriate level of supervision for risky play. Some important points to note:

  • Risky play does not refer to ignoring safety measures, like using helmets, car-seats, stair safety gates and life jackets.
  • It’s important to remove hazards to ensure your child stays safe. Hazards are dangers that your child may not easily see or be able to handle on their own. For example, a weak tree branch that could break or broken playground equipment. Some hazards, like rough water or busy roads, are always dangerous and should be avoided.

Resources for families to promote learning and play

There are many fun free activities to do with your child!

  • Play & Learn (external link) – provides a variety of engaging games and activities to help your child learn, grow and thrive.
  • Connect Play & Learn Everyday (external link) – provides information for parents/caregivers on child development in the first five years. This website is filled with many fun games and activities that you can do with your child to help them develop and learn.

Community programs for families

Top