Screen time in households with young children

Key points:

• Families report widespread screen use, with 85% of parents using screen-based devices together with their young children.
• Parents use screens to help keep their young children calm, occupied, and as rewards.
• Parents describe ongoing challenges managing screen time for their children and for themselves.

This issue brief presents an overview of families’ screen time and technology experiences, using May 2025 and July 2025 RAPID national survey responses from parents of children under age 6. (Note: Stanford Center on Early Childhood issue briefs, like this one, report current RAPID national survey data on key early childhood issues for policymakers, updated twice annually.)

Families report widespread screen access at home

The most common devices parents reported that children used at home were television (77%), tablets (56%), and smartphones (29%). More than half of parents surveyed (51%) reported their children had devices they could use independently. Of those families, tablets were most common (71%). Additionally, 85% of parents surveyed used screen-based devices with their children at least some of the time. A parent in Connecticut shared, “I would love to be a screen-free household but we do not live in a screen-free world. I monitor what my children access and what other activities they do.”

Parents use screens for multiple caregiving purposes

Once a week or several times a week: Two in three parents (65%) reported using screen time to keep children occupied, two in five (41%) reported using screens as rewards, and about a third (29%) reported using screens to help children calm down. A Kentucky parent said, “I am pursuing my bachelor’s degree, and I often let my daughter look at her device so I can complete my school work. Having no child care or help leaves me with little to no choice.” Another parent in Indiana noted, “The use of tablets, although not ideal, allows me to create free time to cook or finish working.”

Families describe ongoing screen time struggles

Most parents surveyed (81%) reported their children had tantrums or emotional outbursts when screen time ended. Parents also expressed challenges with their own device use: 85% reported that, at least some of the time, they felt distracted by their devices when spending time with their children. A Pennsylvania parent said, “I often feel distracted by my cell phone. It is very hard for me to unplug.” A parent in Hawaii shared, “We have allowed emotions–both parent and children–to dictate our usage. We are aware of the emotional and social and physical impacts, and we’re trying to make changes.”

Conclusion

Parents express wanting to reduce screen use for themselves and their children, but report that they use screens to manage caregiving demands amid widespread screen norms and insufficient support, such as lack of child care. These findings show the need for supports that address the caregiving realities families face.

Sample description

This analysis on RAPID data is based on responses collected from 1,021 caregivers in May 2025 and July 2025. These caregivers represent a range of voices: 12.7% are Black, 16.9% are Latinx, and 24.7% live below 200% of the federal poverty level. We weight data to reflect the real-time makeup of U.S. families with children under age 6.