Managing Screen Time for Kids Under 5
If you’re a parent of a toddler or preschooler, you know how captivating cartoons and games can be for little ones. These activities can spark creativity, aid learning, and provide some much-needed quiet time for parents. But they can also overstimulate young brains, impacting their stress and reward systems. Here’s how to keep screen time fun, educational, and balanced for children under five.
The Science: How Media Affects Little Brains
Cartoons and video games trigger dopamine, the “feel-good” brain chemical, by creating excitement and rewarding engagement. For young children, whose brains are still developing. Why can over-stimulating cartoons lead to more tantrums and aggression?
Dopamine Overload and Dysregulated Reward Systems: Fast-paced cartoons and highly interactive games can overstimulate kids, creating cycles of craving and dependence. Research has shown that dopamine receptors will downregulate when overloaded with dopamine for too long. This can lead to tantrums when you turn off the cartoon and can cause kids to lose interest in slower-paced or non-digital activities.
Cortisol Spikes: Cartoons with rapid scene changes or games with high stakes can trigger the stress response, leading to increased cortisol levels. Over time, this can lead to mood swings or difficulty self-regulating emotions. This can lead to increased tantrums throughout the rest of your day.
Setting Boundaries
Screen Time Limits: For children under five, the American Academy of Paediatrics recommends no more than 1 hour of high-quality programming per day, ideally co-viewed with a parent.
Connect and Redirect: This concept from the Neufeld Institute emphasizes connecting with children before asking them to do something. In this case, you can sit and watch the end of the show with them, warn them that the end is coming and then turn it off together.
Create Tech-Free Zones: Designate areas, such as the dining table or bedroom, as screen-free zones to encourage other types of play.
Active Recovery
Physical Play: Balance screen time with activities like running, dancing, or outdoor exploration to help release energy and reset their stress-response system. Screen time can cause cortisol to build up in their bodies. It is beneficial to give them opportunities to release it.
Creative Breaks: Use screen time as inspiration for hands-on activities. After watching a nature cartoon, suggest drawing the animals they saw.
Co-Viewing and Critical Thinking
Watch and Play Together: Sit with your child during screen time and talk about what they’re experiencing. For example, “What sound does that animal make?” or “Why do you think Bluey feels sad?” “What do you think they are feeling about what’s happening?”. It is an excellent opportunity to build emotional intelligence.
Leveraging Engagement: If you get to know their favourite characters, it can be an awesome way to build rapport and leverage their imagination at other times. For example, you can pretend to be characters they love while getting into the car seat.
Examples of Overstimulating Cartoons
Cocomelon
Constant songs, bright colours, and fast scene changes overstimulate both auditory and visual pathways. The brain gets “hooked” on dopamine hits but struggles afterwards with emotional letdown, often resulting in tantrums when the show ends.
Paw Patrol
High-intensity problem-solving, rapid pacing, loud sirens, and quick transitions overstimulate the nervous system and may promote impulsivity or tantrums.
Baby Shark’s Big Show
Hyper-repetitive lyrics, bold animations, and little narrative depth contribute to sensory overload and agitation once viewing stops.
Ryan’s World
YouTube-style editing (jump cuts, flashy graphics, excited voices) creates a high-adrenaline viewing experience. When the screen goes off, the contrast can spark frustration and tantrums.
SpongeBob SquarePants (often watched by older siblings but accessible to young kids)
Fast humour, surreal plots, and exaggerated sound effects flood the senses, making it harder for young children to transition calmly afterwards.
Examples of Calmer Alternatives
Bluey
Emotionally rich stories, natural pacing, and imaginative play-based problem-solving. Encourages empathy, connection, and co-regulation.
Puffin Rock
Soft narration, nature themes, and gentle animation..Calming visuals and steady storytelling reduce sensory overload.
If You Give a Mouse a Cookie
Gentle pacing and clear logic, based on the beloved book series. Predictable structure and soft humour support attention and comprehension.
Llama Llama
Based on Anna Dewdney’s books, this series explores friendship and big feelings through a slow-paced narrative and soothing visuals. Emotion-centred storytelling teaches social-emotional regulation in a developmentally appropriate way.
Winnie the Pooh – Various Series & Shorts
A timeless classic with soft colours, slow pacing, and gentle music. Familiar voices and comforting story arcs help kids feel grounded.
Conclusion
When it comes to screen time for children under five, the goal isn’t perfection; it’s balance. By understanding how overstimulating content affects young minds, parents and caregivers can make more informed choices that protect emotional regulation, reduce tantrums, and foster meaningful learning. Swapping hyperactive shows for calmer alternatives can make a real difference in a child’s mood and behaviour.
Screen time doesn’t have to be the enemy; it can be a tool for connection, learning, and imagination when used with intention and care.
Bonus Resource: Try the Kanopy App - Kids’ Section
If you're looking for screen time that supports rather than stresses your child’s development, the Kanopy app and its kids’ content are a brilliant resource. Available for free through many public libraries, it offers a curated selection of calming, educational children’s shows and short films. Most of the kids’ content is slow-paced and thoughtful, making it perfect for toddlers and preschoolers.