Screen Time Policy

Having policies related to screen time will ensure that all parties have same understanding of the procedures. It is important that all employees understand and follow the same policies. Having written policies are also helpful when explaining to parents how your center operates. Below you will find resources that will help you set screen time policies in your home or center.

Best Practices

The resources in this category are the same for all of the following best practices.

"Always communicate the screen time policy to parents, families and visitors."
"Create and maintain a written screen time policy that is available and followed and that covers screen time use, provider behaviors and education."

5 Healthy Goals: Reduce Screen Time

Summary: This website includes facts about and tips for reducing screen time.
Source: The Nemours Foundation
Access: https://healthykidshealthyfuture.org/5-healthy-goals/reduce-screen-time/

Action Guide: For Child Care Nutrition and Physical Activity Policies

Summary: A guide for creating policies including rationale, steps for creating policies, and policy recommendations.
Source: Connecticut State Department of Education
Access: https://healthymeals.fns.usda.gov/hsmrs/Connecticut/CCAG_ActionGuide.pdf

Get Active Be Healthy

Summary: A series of fact sheets and handouts for parents, kids, and teachers. Contains information for teachers on page 10.
Source: Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of the Northwest
Access: http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/hpcd/chp/cdrr/obesity/pdfdocs/screentimetoolkit.pdf

Media and Children

Summary: This website includes information about media time and how it impacts children.
Source: The American Academy of Pediatrics
Access: https://www.aap.org/en-us/advocacy-and-policy/aap-health-initiatives/pages/media-and-children.aspx?nfstatus=401&nftoken=00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000&nfstatusdescription=ERROR%3a+No+local+token

Model Child Care Health Policies

Summary: Section 4 focuses on nutrition and section 5 focuses on screen time and physical activity.
Source: American Academy of Pediatrics
Access: www.ecels-healthychildcarepa.org/publications/manuals-pamphlets-policies/item/download/332_de718b5d0a40682caf26b57e9307bc91

Nutrition and Physical Activity Self-Assessment for Child Care (NAP SACC) Manual

Summary: This manual provides the best practice recommendations for each question on the self-assessment. The manuals also include the rationale behind each recommendation, challenges to implementing recommendations, and tips for changing current practice.
Source: Michigan Healthy Child Care
Access: http://mihealthtools.org/childcare/resources.asp

Nutrition and Wellness Tips for Young Children

Summary: Collection of tip sheets for nutrition and physical activity. Each tip sheet focuses on a specific topic and includes a practical application section to help apply the tips to a child care program for children ages 2 through 5 years old. See pages 63-71.
Source: United States Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service
Access: http://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/nutrition-and-wellness-tips-young-children-provider-handbook-child-and-adult-care-food-program

Sample Child Care Physical Activity Policy

Summary : This is an example of a physical activity policy for a child care. It outlines the daily play, role of staff members and times of play.
Source: South Carolina Early Child Care and Education
Access: http://www.scchildcare.org/media/6938/GH_SAMPLE_Level_B_Physical_Activity_Policy.pdf

Screen Time Reduction Toolkit for Child Care Providers

Summary: Includes tips to reduce screen time, letter to parents, tips to reduce screen time, games to reduce screen time. Policy Examples are provided on page 8.
Source: Michigan Department of Community Health
Access: https://d3knp61p33sjvn.cloudfront.net/2015/04/Screen-TimeReductionToolkit.pdf