How children use digital devices

Children engage differently with digital devices depending on their age. Parents report that the vast majority of young children engage in “screen time,” including nearly half of 0-2 year olds who interact with a smartphone.

In a Pew research study, the majority of parents reported that their children begin using at least one digital device before the age of 2, with nearly half reporting smartphone use. In addition, for parents who said their child had a smartphone, the median age they received it is 9-11 years old. The most common reason parents provide for getting their child a smartphone is to make it easy for their child to contact them, but other reasons include to keep them entertained and because their friends and classmates have smartphones. Is this right, or is it too much digital exposure at too young of an age? It can be confusing to know what the current recommendations are from scientists, pediatricians, and government officials regarding screen time and digital device use. Learn more about scientist recommendations on technology use on our Educational Resources page.