Türkiye’s Ministry of Family and Social Services recommends no more than 30 minutes of screen time a day at age three. This is a ceiling, not a target: content matters, as does protecting time for sleep, movement, conversation and play. Keep screens away from meals and bedtime as part of a manageable routine.
Going over the limit one day does not make you a bad parent. Start by noticing where screens fit into your day, then choose one small habit to change.
How Much Screen Time Is Recommended at Each Age?
Türkiye’s Ministry of Family and Social Services recommends keeping children away from screens entirely until the age of three. After that it suggests no more than 30 minutes a day at three, 40 minutes at four and 50 minutes at five, with videos, digital games and TV all counting towards the total.
These figures are a ceiling, not an allowance to use up or a developmental target. The ministry also advises setting limits to suit your child’s development and your family’s routine, and balancing screen time with movement, sleep and time with other people.
| Age | Daily Limit |
|---|---|
| Under three | No screens recommended. |
| Three | No more than 30 minutes |
| Four | No more than 40 minutes |
| Five | No more than 50 minutes |
These numbers aren’t there so you can run the whole day by the minute. They’re there to help you notice what’s being crowded out. If screens are keeping your child up late or leaving them sitting still for long stretches, it’s time to look at the daily routine again.
Beyond the Minutes: What Are They Watching?
Choose content that suits their age, is easy to follow and has a calm pace. Autoplay, adverts and quick jumps from one video to the next can make it much harder to stop. Watch things yourself first; an “educational” label on its own isn’t enough.
When you watch together, listen to what your child says about it. You might make a connection: “We saw that animal at the park, didn’t we?” You don’t need to ask a question every few seconds. But helping your child make sense of what they see is a very different experience from them using a device alone for a long time.
The ministry also recommends keeping screens out of mealtimes, bedtime routines and children’s bedrooms. It advises clear rules, a reminder before time is up, and adults following the same rules to set an example. The American Academy of Pediatrics’ 5 Cs of media use also look at the child, the content, calming, what’s being crowded out, and communication together. When you’re setting up a family routine, these are as useful to think about as the number of minutes. For the mealtime routine, our guides to preschool nutrition and picky eating offer further reading.
When Do Screens Cause More Trouble?
When a screen becomes the first answer to every bout of crying, every wait and every moment of boredom, children get fewer chances to practise other ways of settling themselves. Instead, sometimes offer a quick chat, a book, a bit of movement or simply your help.
Clear rules help for the times that come round every day, such as meals and getting ready for bed. A television left on in the background can also be distracting. Even if your child isn’t really watching, it changes the sound and feel of the room.
Think about the grown-ups’ phone habits too. Saying “I’m just going to finish this message and then put my phone down” shows your child the limit means something for everyone. You don’t have to be perfect; you can start by putting devices aside for some of the time you spend together. For the sleep side of the routine, see how to judge whether your child still needs a nap.
How Can You Make Switching Off Easier?
Agree on the end point in advance: “We’ll turn it off when this episode finishes.” Turn off autoplay, and explain what will happen next: “Then we’re going to build a garage with the blocks.” Offering a choice can help, but don’t let switching off become a long negotiation every day.
When your child is upset, acknowledge the feeling: “You want to keep watching, I know.” Hold the limit calmly. Whether the crying stops straight away isn’t the only sign you’ve handled it well. Learning to move on from a screen can take time.
Do Alternatives to Screens Need Much Preparation?
No. A few things within easy reach can be enough: books, blocks, paper and pencils, toy animals, or a drawer to tidy up together. Helping with safe household jobs is part of everyday life too.
When you can get outside, a short walk, a ball game or a hunt for leaves widens the options. Not every spare moment needs filling by an adult. You can leave your child room to be a little bored and to think while they get their own game going.
A screen plan is as much about what we make room for in the day as it is about when the device goes on.
Hands-On Everyday Life at Sun Preschool
At Sun, daily outdoor activity, play, conversation and hands-on work are all part of the programme. Our coding plans include direction games with arrow cards and route-planning with Bee-Bot floor robots. Teaching coding doesn’t have to mean using a tablet.
That doesn’t mean every activity at school uses the same tools. When you visit, you can ask which age group works with which tools. Our guide to screen-free coding explains the difference, and our article on outdoor learning covers the other ways children learn through the day.
If you’d like to talk about your child’s day of play and learning, you can arrange a visit.
References & Further Reading
- Ministry of Family and Social Services (Türkiye) — Screen time warning for parents (in Turkish).
- Ministry of Family and Social Services, Çocuklar Güvende — Screen time: healthy use recommendations (in Turkish).
- American Academy of Pediatrics — The 5 Cs of media use.
Frequently asked questions
If it’s an educational video, does the time limit still apply?
Good content doesn’t make the time irrelevant. Your child still needs room for sleep, movement and face-to-face contact. Look past the label to what the content actually is and how your child experiences it.
If they stay under the recommended limit, is everything fine?
Time alone isn’t enough to go on. If the content frightens them, eats into bedtime, or switching off is always a struggle, have another look at the routine. Look at your child’s day as a whole.
Do they need screens to learn English?
No. Songs, books and everyday interaction all give children experience of a language. Our guide to supporting English at home has practical ideas you can use.
They sometimes watch more on long journeys. What should I do?
Don’t judge your whole routine by one exception. Before the journey, you can plan what they’ll watch, when it ends and when to take breaks. Once you’re back to your everyday routine, go back to your usual limits.
This article is general information, not medical advice. The sources used are listed in the “Sources and Further Reading” section; talk to your doctor about decisions concerning your child.
