Advice on use of electronic devices
For children age under 1, parents are advised to:
-
avoid any screen time and tell more stories to their children.
For children aged 1.5-2, when you hope to introduce electronic devices to them, you should:
- Choose quality content of screen activities;
- Accompany to use electronic screen products;
- Avoid your child’s use of electronic devices alone;
- Limit the use of media to less than 1 hour, and to use only under the supervision and instruction of parents. For example, children can perform video calls with their family members with parental company;
- Replace screen time with story time.
For children aged 2-5, parents should:
- Restrict the screen time to less than one hour per day;
- Engage them in other quality activities;
- Choose interactive, non-violent, educational content with social benefits;
- Watch and play with them together;
- Replace screen time with story time.
Sleep duration recommendations
Age group
|
Recommended Hours of Sleep Per Day
|
Newborns (0-3 months)
|
14-17 hours (National Sleep Foundation)
No recommendation(American Academy of Sleep Medicine)
|
Infants (4-12 months)
|
12-16 hours(including naps) |
Toddlers (1-2 years)
|
11-14 hours(including naps) |
Preschoolers (3-5 years)
|
10-13 hours(including naps) |
Physical activity recommendations
Children under one years old should:
- Participant in a variety of types of physical activities at any intensity, particularly games on the interactive floor; more is better; For infants who cannot move by their own should have at least 30 minutes prone stretch (tummy time).
- Avoid movements being restricted for over one hour by long sedentary time (e.g. in pushchairs, high chairs or baby carriers) and experiencing any sedentary screen time such as watching TV or videos or playing computer games; Be encouraged to read stories with caregivers when sitting.
Children aged 1-2 should:
- Spend at least 180 minutes in a variety of types of physical activities at any intensity, including moderate- to vigorous.
- Avoid being restricted to move over one hour (eg: in pushchairs, high chairs or baby carriers) and long sedentary time. Children under 1 years old are not suggest long sedentary screen time such as: watching TV or videos, playing computer games. Children aged 2 and above should not accumulate more than 1 hour sedentary screen time per day; less is better. When sitting, children should be encouraged to read stories with caregivers.
Children aged 3-4 should:
- Spend at least 180 minutes in a variety of physical activities of different intensity levels, including at least 60 minutes of moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity spread throughout the day; more is better.
- Avoid being restricted to move over one hour (eg: in pushchairs, high chairs or baby carriers) and long sedentary time. Children should not accumulate more than 1 hour sedentary screen time; less is better. When sitting, children should be encouraged to read stories with care givers.
References
- Healthychildren.org. Healthy Digital Media Use Habits for Babies, Toddlers & Preschoolers. Updated November 12, 2019. https://healthychildren.org/English/family-life/Media/Pages/Healthy-Digital-Media-Use-Habits-for-Babies-Toddlers-Preschoolers.aspx
- National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, How much sleep do I need?. Last Reviewed Date4/29/2019. https://www.nichd.nih.gov/health/topics/sleep/conditioninfo/how-much#f4
- Centre for Health Protection. 2020. Physical Activity Guide For Children Aged 2 to 6. chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://www.startsmart.gov.hk/files/pdf/physical_guide_en.pdf
