How to help children manage screen time
Tops tips to support children in Upper Primary
As children become increasingly active online, it’s important to give them the tools they need to balance screen time.
Help 7-11-year-olds strike a healthy balance between the time they spend online and offline, especially as they start to get their own devices.
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What does research say about screen time at ages 7-11?
At this age, children are more likely to have their own mobile phones and devices. This means that access to different online spaces increases. Compared to under-5s (41%) and 5-7s (38%), children nearing the end of primary school are more likely to use mobile phones to go online (66%). Additionally, more than half of 8-11-year-olds, according to Ofcom, have their own mobile phone (compared to 20% for each younger age group).
Children in upper primary spend most of their time watching videos online with a significant number also using social media. Despite age requirements of 13, many children at this age also have their own social media profiles.
According to our tracker survey, the majority of 6-10-year-olds spend 1-2 hours on devices per weekday. This increases to 3-4 hours at the weekend.
In our tracker survey, 64% of parents said that their 6-10-year-old played single-player games. This was the most popular activity on devices, according to parents.
According to Ofcom, 82% of children aged 8-10 send messages or make voice/video calls. Despite a 16+ age requirement, 54% of these kids use WhatsApp to do this.
According to Ofcom, 96% of 8-10-year-olds say they watched videos online, the most common activity at this age.
71% of parents of 6-10-year-olds in our tracker survey say they feel concerned about their child spending too much time online or on connected devices.
Favourite apps for 7-11-year-olds
Our tracker survey asked children which sites, platforms, apps or games they use. The top 5 most popular of these among 9- and 10-year-olds are below.
10-year-olds
- YouTube (82%);
- Netflix (65%);
- Roblox (57%);
- Minecraft (48%);
- WhatsApp (46%).
With the exception of WhatsApp, which is intended for those aged 16+, each of the above platforms have parental controls. You can set content limits, restrict who can contact your child and manage screen time with these controls.
What parents say about screen time at this age
According to Ofcom, only 22% of parents sit with their child as they use their device. Instead, roughly 7 in 10 parents ask their child about their online activity and regularly check what they are doing.
The majority of parents of 8-10-year-olds (68%) say they believe their child has a good screen time balance.
How does screen time affect children in Upper Primary?
- As children become more social and spend more time with friends, their devices help them stay connected. Games like Roblox offer new ways to play and socialise with friends, especially when it’s not possible to meet up in person.
- Educational screen time can support children’s learning in a range of ways — from practising Maths to reading on the go.
- Children can discover new passions and practise new skills that are inaccessible in person due to disability, poverty or other things outside their control. Learn about the importance of tech in daily life with insight from Tech She Can.
- Some device use can support children’s development in some areas, including fine motor skills, critical thinking and problem-solving. However, not all screen time does this, so it’s important to consider the activities they do online.
- Devices and apps can help children develop their creativity — such as through creating videos, making music, writing stories and making art.
- Negative impacts on children’s wellbeing. Our research found that 9-10-year-old girls feel more negative impacts from being online than other children. This includes feelings of FOMO and impacts on body image.
- Pressure to stay online from friends, user design or worries about missing out on what others do can make it hard for children to ‘switch off’. This might result in late nights and a negative feeling towards their devices.
- As children become more active online there is an increased risk of encountering online safety issues such as inappropriate content, cyberbullying and grooming.
- Passive screen time such as scrolling social media or watching TV could have a negative affect on their physical and developmental wellbeing. This might include trouble sleeping or focusing, or weight gain and body pains due to inactivity.
What are the signs of poor screen time balance?
The following are potential signs of poor screen time balance in 7-11-year-olds.
- Anxious behaviour when they can’t access their devices or while on their devices. For example, 49% of girls aged 9-10 say they rewatch programmes or play computer games despite not enjoying themselves. They might need guidance in doing other activities that they enjoy more.
- Trouble falling or staying asleep, potentially due to late nights or extended blue screen light from devices. In our research, around half of 9-10-year-olds said they stayed up late due to device use.
- Difficulty focusing on other tasks away from devices, or complete avoidance. Similarly, preferring to go on their device rather than do something offline (e.g. browse social media instead of play with friends).
- Intense mood swings or fights when it comes to taking device breaks.
Remember that changes in children’s behaviour can mean different things and might not be related to screen time. If you have concerns, speak with your GP. For additional support to help children balance screen time, explore this screen time guide.
