Screens are now part of everyday family life. From watching a favourite programme while making dinner to video calling grandparents or using a tablet on a rainy afternoon, technology can be useful and, sometimes, simply make family life a little easier.

But how much screen time is appropriate for young children?

In 2026, the UK Government introduced its first dedicated screen time guidance for children under five, giving parents clearer advice about how to balance screens with the activities that are so important during the early years.

At The Nook Nursery in Leyton, we believe young children need plenty of opportunities to talk, play, explore, imagine and interact with the world around them.

So rather than simply asking how much screen time a child should have, it is worth asking a bigger question:

What could your child be doing instead?

How Much Screen Time Should Under-5s Have?

The new government guidance provides a useful starting point for parents.

For children under two, the advice is to avoid screen time wherever possible, apart from shared activities that encourage bonding, interaction and conversation.

For children aged 2–5, parents are encouraged to try to keep total screen time to one hour a day, with less being better where possible. The guidance also recommends avoiding screens at mealtimes and in the hour before bed.

Importantly, the guidance isn’t saying that every minute spent watching a screen is harmful or that parents should feel guilty about using screens.

Technology is part of modern life.

The aim is to make sure that screen time doesn’t crowd out the experiences young children need most: sleep, physical activity, active play, conversation, social interaction and time exploring their environment.

Why Does Screen Time Matter in Early Childhood?

The early years are a period of enormous development.

Children are learning through their senses, relationships and interactions with the people and world around them.

A conversation with a parent helps develop language.

Building a tower helps develop coordination and problem-solving.

Pretending that a cardboard box is a spaceship develops imagination.

Running, climbing and jumping develop physical skills.

Sharing a game with another child develops social skills.

These experiences can be difficult to replace if a large proportion of a child’s day is spent passively watching a screen.

The government’s guidance highlights concerns about excessive screen use displacing activities such as sleep, physical activity, creative play and interaction with parents and carers.

This is one reason we place such importance on play-based learning at The Nook Nursery.

Not All Screen Time Is the Same for Under-5s

It is also important to remember that how a child uses a screen matters.

Watching a programme alone for an extended period is very different from video calling a grandparent while having a conversation together.

The current guidance recommends choosing age-appropriate, slower-paced content and avoiding fast-paced, highly stimulating social-media-style videos for young children. It also recommends that parents watch or use screens alongside their child where possible, talking about what they are seeing and asking questions.

For example, rather than simply putting on a programme and walking away, you might sit together and ask:

“What do you think is going to happen?”

“Why do you think the character did that?”

“Which animal was your favourite?”

This turns screen time into an opportunity for shared interaction and conversation.

What Can Toddlers Do Instead of Watching a Screen?

The good news is that young children don’t need elaborate activities to stay entertained.

In fact, some of the best alternatives to screen time are incredibly simple.

Try:

• Building a den from blankets and cushions
• Making a pretend café or shop
• Playing with playdough
• Drawing with chalk outdoors
• Looking for bugs in the garden or park
• Reading stories together
• Baking
• Building with blocks
• Playing with water
• Creating a treasure hunt
• Sorting natural objects such as leaves and sticks.
• Making music with pots, wooden spoons and homemade instruments.

These aren’t just ways to keep children occupied.

They provide opportunities to develop creativity, communication, problem-solving, independence and confidence.

For more ideas, our guide to fine motor skills activities for preschoolers includes simple activities such as playdough, threading, building and cooking that children can enjoy at home.

Things to Do With Toddlers in Leyton

Parents don’t need to stay indoors to find screen-free activities.

Leyton has plenty of opportunities for young children to get outside, explore and play.

A trip to the park can become a nature hunt.

A walk can become a search for different colours, shapes or sounds.

A visit to the library can become an opportunity to choose a new story together.

Even a simple journey around the local area can provide opportunities to talk about what your child can see.

Explore Nature Together

Take a walk through a local green space and encourage your child to look carefully at what is around them.

Can they find:

• A yellow flower?
• A feather?
• A smooth stone?
• A tiny insect?
• A leaf bigger than their hand?
• Something that makes a sound?

You don’t need to turn it into a formal activity.

Simply follow your child’s curiosity.

Visit Leyton Library

Libraries are wonderful screen-free spaces for young children.

Choosing books together encourages children to develop language, listening skills and a love of stories. Leyton Library also hosts free stay-and-play sessions for under-fives, providing opportunities for children to play and interact with others while parents and carers meet other local families.

Make the Most of Local Family Hub Activities

Waltham Forest’s Best Start Family Hubs provide free play and learn sessions for young children and their families.

For example, the Seddon Centre in Leyton runs sessions for under-twos focusing on areas including creativity, language and listening, music, movement and physical activity.

There are also sessions for under-fives at Family Hubs across the borough, including activities designed to support children’s learning and development through play.

These can be a great way to find toddler activities in Leyton while giving children opportunities to play alongside other children.

Screen-Free Activities for Toddlers at Home

You don’t need to plan something new every day.

Young children are often happiest repeating familiar activities and exploring them in different ways.

Try creating a simple “activity basket” containing:

• Wooden blocks.
• Playdough.
• Paper and crayons.
• Puzzles.
• Books.
• Toy animals.
• Natural objects.
• Cardboard boxes.
• Scarves and blankets for den building.

Then let your child decide what to do.

A cardboard box might become a car one day, a house the next and a rocket the day after.

This is where imaginative play becomes so valuable.

Children are not simply being entertained. They are creating ideas, developing stories, communicating with others and solving problems.

You can read more about this in our article Why Imaginative Play Is More Important Than Ever.

Why Boredom is Important for Young Children

One of the biggest challenges for parents can be resisting the urge to immediately solve the problem when a child says:

“I’m bored.”

It can be tempting to reach for a tablet or television because it provides an instant source of entertainment.

But boredom can also create space for children to think.

They might invent a game.

Build something.

Ask questions.

Explore the garden.

Make up a story.

Or simply stare out of the window and notice something they’ve never noticed before.

Children don’t need every moment of the day to be filled with structured activities.

Sometimes, giving them time and space to decide what to do is exactly what encourages curiosity.

This is closely connected to our approach at The Nook Nursery, where child-led learning gives children the freedom to follow their interests and develop their own ideas.

How to Reduce Screen Time for Toddlers without the Battles

If your child is already used to having a lot of screen time, suddenly removing it completely may lead to frustration.

Instead, small changes can make a big difference.

Create Screen-Free Times

Mealtimes and bedtime are useful places to start.

Try replacing television at dinner with music and conversation, or replace a bedtime programme with a story.

The current government guidance recommends keeping mealtimes screen-free and avoiding screens during the hour before bed.

Create Screen-Free Spaces

You might decide that bedrooms or the dining table are screen-free areas.

This makes the boundary easier for young children to understand.

Give Children Something to Do Instead

Rather than simply saying:

“No tablet.”

try:

“Let’s build a den.”

or:

“Would you like to help me make some cakes?”

Making the alternative interesting and achievable can make transitions much easier.

Let Children See You Put Your Own Phone Down

Young children learn from what adults do.

The current guidance also encourages parents and carers to be mindful of their own screen use and to model healthy habits.

Putting your phone away during meals, play and conversations sends a powerful message without needing a lecture.

Can Screen Time Be Educational for Under-5s?

Parents sometimes worry that reducing screen time means their child will miss out on educational opportunities.

For preschool children, however, learning doesn’t need to happen through a screen.

A child counting stones in the garden is learning.

A child listening to a story is learning.

A child building a tower is learning.

A child helping to bake is learning.

A child pretending to run a shop is learning.

At The Nook Nursery in Leyton, we believe that young children learn through real experiences, relationships, exploration and play.

This doesn’t mean technology has no place in children’s lives.

It means making sure it doesn’t replace the experiences that are particularly important during early childhood.

How We Encourage Learning Without Screens at The Nook Nursery

At The Nook Nursery, our environment is designed to encourage children to explore, create, communicate and develop their own ideas.

Rather than relying on formal lessons or digital resources, we provide rich opportunities for:

• Imaginative play
• Construction
• Creative activities
• Outdoor exploration
• Storytelling
• Music and singing
• Small world play
• Natural materials
• Practical, real-life experiences

Our practitioners use in-the-moment planning to observe children’s interests and extend their thinking through meaningful experiences.

This approach allows children to develop important skills while remaining active participants in their own learning.

It also reflects something we have explored in our article What Skills Will Children Need in an AI World?

The world children are growing up in will be increasingly digital.

That makes it even more important to protect the uniquely human experiences that help children develop creativity, communication, curiosity, problem-solving and social skills.

Finding the Right Balance with Screen Time

There isn’t one perfect approach that will work for every family.

Screens are part of modern life, and there will be days when putting on a favourite programme makes family life easier.

The aim isn’t perfection.

It’s balance.

The most important thing is making sure screens don’t consistently replace the experiences young children need to grow and develop: sleep, movement, conversation, relationships, creativity and play.

If you’re looking for things to do with toddlers in Leyton, you don’t necessarily need to spend money or plan complicated days out.

A walk, a library visit, a cardboard box, a story or an afternoon spent playing in the garden can provide everything a young child needs to explore, imagine and learn.

At The Nook Nursery, we believe childhood should be full of those experiences.

Because sometimes the best alternative to a screen isn’t another activity.

It’s simply giving children the time and freedom to play.

Helpful Resources for Leyton Families

For the latest information about local activities, parents can also check the Waltham Forest Best Start in Life programme, which provides free play, learn and family activities across the borough. Sessions and dates can change, so it’s worth checking the council’s current listings before visiting.

For the latest national guidance, parents can read the Government’s screen time guidance for under-5s.