The B.E.S.T. Way to Approach Screentime
Screen time is one of those parenting topics that seems to come up everywhere, at the pediatrician’s office, on mom forums, at playdates, and even in casual conversations with friends. The truth is, it’s complicated. We all want what’s best for our kids, but parenting also comes with real-life challenges: work schedules, household responsibilities, siblings, and the need for a moment to just breathe. As a Speech Therapist, I had lofty dreams of how I would limit screentime with my own kids. As a mom, I’m more realistic about my expectations. Let’s dive into the pros, cons and the B.E.S.T. practices I use at home with my children.
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) provides helpful guidelines for screen use in early childhood. They recommend:
No screen time under 18 months, except for video chatting.
18–24 months: If you choose to introduce media, stick to high-quality, educational content and watch it together.
2–5 years: Limit screen use to about 1 hour per day of high-quality programming, co-viewed when possible.
These are excellent best practices for supporting language and cognitive development. But here’s my gentle reminder: every child is different. Neurodivergent children, for example, may benefit from screen time as a tool for regulation. And let’s be honest, sometimes, as parents, we also need screen time to help us regulate, decompress, or just get dinner on the table. I often hear from parents who are at their wits end managing the mental load of parenthood who are made to feel guilt around screens. So let me be clear: if screentime is a tool to help YOU regulate your emotions and maintain your mental wellbeing as a parent, you are still an amazing parent. I know that screentime feels like a very judged and polarizing topic, but it doesn’t have to be.
That’s why I like to think of screen time in my home not in terms of strict rules, but as a set of guiding principles I call my BEST practices.
My BEST Practices for Screen Time
As a reminder, this is what works for MY family. Use what works for your family, based on your children’s developmental needs and your family’s individual values.
When it comes to screen time, I don’t follow a long list of strict rules, but I do keep a set of guiding principles in mind. I like to call them my BEST practices for screen time:
B – Balanced & limited: Screen time is one piece of the puzzle, not the whole picture. We keep it in check and make sure there’s plenty of time for play, reading, and family connection. We aim to avoid it in the mornings, and use it in small chunks (like the TV shows I’ll mention below!) when we need a break or time to relax.
E – Educational: The shows we choose should spark curiosity, build vocabulary, and encourage learning.
S – Simple/low stimulation: Calmer shows allow kids to process language and storylines without being overloaded by flashing lights and fast cuts.
T – Together: Whenever possible, we co-view. Watching with our kids gives us the chance to connect, ask questions, and turn a passive activity into an interactive one.
These four practices help me feel confident about our family’s screen time, not because it’s perfect, but because it’s intentional.
Why Low-Stimulation Shows Matter
Young children’s brains are still developing the ability to filter out background noise and focus on what’s important. High-stimulation shows (think: fast camera cuts, lots of bright flashing colors, or constant action) can make it harder for kids to practice those skills. Low-stimulation shows give space for children to process language, follow a story, and use their imagination.
Research shows that the pace and stimulation level of children’s programming can make a big difference in how kids learn and regulate themselves. Studies have found that even a few minutes of fast-paced, high-stimulation cartoons can temporarily impair young children’s executive function skills, like self-control, memory, and flexible thinking. Over time, frequent exposure to this type of media has been linked with attention challenges, difficulty transitioning to calm activities, and weaker language growth. In contrast, low-stimulation shows with slower pacing, simpler visuals, and predictable storylines tend to support comprehension, language learning, and self-regulation by giving children more time to process and respond.
The research also highlights that quality and context matter just as much as quantity. Educational programming paired with parent co-viewing is consistently linked to stronger language development, while excessive or unmonitored screen use is more likely to contribute to delays and behavior issues. Low-stimulation content helps maintain balance by lowering sensory overload, easing transitions, and creating opportunities for conversation and shared attention. Here is a chart comparing popular television shows for young children to highlight the difference in stimulation.
What is Co-Viewing?
Co-viewing means watching shows with your child rather than handing them a device and walking away. When you sit down and engage, by labeling objects, asking questions, or connecting the story to real life, you turn passive screen time into active learning.
Example: “Wow, Trash Truck helped his friend. Can you think of a time you helped a friend?”
The Shows I Feel Good About
Here are the five shows I allow in our house (with alternatives for books, audiobooks, or music to reduce overall screen time):
1. Trash Truck (Netflix)
A sweet, slow-paced story about a boy and his best friend, a garbage truck.
Why I love it: Besides the fact that I have two vehicle loving boys, I love how calming this show is! I find myself giggling at the characters’ antics and overall the messaging and lessons learned are really great, too.
Does it fit the BEST criteria?
B (Balanced & Limited): Yes! Episodes are 10-15 minutes each, making it the perfect short screen break.
E (Educational): Not as educational as my other faves, but not terrible! I like the lessons it teaches on resilience, being kind to others and how to be a supportive friend.
S (Simple/low stim): YEP! It’s slow paced with muted colors and calming music.
T (Together): This is one that I do love to watch with my kiddos! They love to discuss what Trash Truck and Hank are up to, and relate it to stories in their own life!
When it’s time to turn the TV off, here are some great alternatives that have similar vibes:
📚 Book Pairing: Trash Truck by Max Keane (just like the show, and a really great book!)
🎧 Audiobook: Little Excavator by Anna Dewdney
💡 Idea: After watching, take a walk on trash day and point out real garbage trucks to connect the story to the world around them.
2. Sea of Love (Netflix)
Gentle underwater adventures with themes of friendship and problem-solving.
Why I love it: The calming ocean visuals and short episodes are a really great option for us when we just need a brief, less than 10 minute break to reset ourselves.
Does it fit the BEST criteria?
B (Balanced & Limited): Yes! Episodes are less than 10 minutes each, making it the perfect short screen break.
E (Educational): Not as educational as my other faves, but not terrible! I like the lessons it teaches on friendship and teamwork.
S (Simple/low stim): YEP! It’s slow paced with muted colors and calming music.
T (Together): This is one that I do love to watch with my kiddos! The theme song is so cute
When it’s time to turn the TV off, here are some great alternatives that have similar vibes:
📚 Book Pairing: Finn and Hatch by Tabitha Erbe
🎧 Audiobook: Over in the Ocean: In a Coral Reef by Marianne Berkes
💡 Idea: Set up a sensory bin with blue rice and shells to “play out” the story.
3. Coral Reef Live Cams (YouTube)
This is a little different, since it’s not really even a TV show! But, I like to turn on a simple YouTube stream of a coral reef/underwater camera. It’s really calming, with limited screen changes. It also leads to great conversation about what we see. This was a big help for us when we had my second son. It kept my baby’s attention, but not in a way I felt was detrimental given he was under 18 months and below the recommended age for beginning screentime. I could put this on while helping my older son set up with an activity, and they both were able to find entertainment and joy from the video, while learning about real-life ocean animals!
Does it fit the BEST criteria?
B (Balanced & Limited): The live streams are endless, so be sure to set your own timers to make sure to limit the length.
E (Educational): This allows for a lot of conversation about ocean life and exploration of real ocean creatures, but does not directly teach.
S (Simple/low stim): Yes, It’s very slow paced with limited scene changes and calming ocean sounds.
T (Together): I love how much language this can create when you watch together! It’s a great option for us when I need to clean up, so I can be moving around cleaning while they talk about what they see on the screen.
When it’s time to turn the TV off, here are some great alternatives that have similar vibes:
📚 Book Pairing: Finn and Hatch by Tabitha Erbe
📚 Book Pairing: Ocean Life by Jill McDonald
🎧 Audiobook: National Geographic Kids: Ocean Animals Collection
💡 Idea: Play with some ocean animals toys in the bath or if you have a zoo or aquarium nearby, visit and see what ocean animals you can find there!
4. Ms. Rachel
A favorite for language development, with simple songs, clear speech, and interactive pauses. There’s a reason she is so popular! The way she speaks to babies and toddlers (parentese) is exactly how I encourage parents to talk. Parentese is using exaggerated pauses, intonation and variety in pitch. I believe that Ms. Rachel, like all screentime, should be limited and is not a replacement for Speech Therapy. However! When co-viewed, her programming is incredibly educational for children AND for parents to learn more about how to communicate with their children.
Does it fit the BEST criteria?
B (Balanced & Limited): Episodes range from 30-60 minutes, so be sure to limit how long you watch for.
E (Educational): YES. The vocabulary, scripts and language used in her programs is research-based and incredibly beneficial for learning new vocabulary! I love her combination of real conversation mixed with nursery rhymes and songs.
S (Simple/low stim): One note about Ms. Rachel is that some episodes do have quick scene changes. Because of this, watching in moderation can help. I find that the educational impact and benefit outweighs this risk, as long as we are limiting the time.
T (Together): I highly encourage parents to watch this show with their children, because she often adds notes on-screen for parents with bonus tips for talking with your young children.
When it’s time to turn the TV off, here are some great alternatives that have similar vibes:
📚 Book Pairing: Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Bill Martin Jr. & Eric Carle
🎧 Audiobook: Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin Jr. & John Archambault
💡 Idea: Pause during the show and encourage your child to respond back to Ms. Rachel to make it interactive. Set up some of the activities Ms. Rachel has on her show at home, and use the language and scripts she uses to promote language on your own! Many of her songs can also be found on Spotify to allow for off-screen listening.
5. Super Simple Songs
Music-based, repetitive, and easy to sing along with. Great for building vocabulary and rhythm. I really enjoy these for learning nursery rhymes and building language. To learn more about why nursery rhymes are incredibly beneficial for language development, please see my blog on Nursery Rhymes.
Does it fit the BEST criteria?
B (Balanced & Limited): You can watch one song (2-3 minutes) or entire series (up to 30 minutes), so be sure to limit how long you are watching for.
E (Educational): Yes! The benefits of learning nursery rhymes is unmatched (see above blog for more details)/
S (Simple/low stim): One note about Super Simple is that the songs can be a bit fast paced. Because of this, watching in moderation can help. I find that the educational impact and benefit outweighs this risk, as long as we are limiting the time.
T (Together): I like to have this on while we are making dinner, so we can all learn and sing together. We will then add in our own words like to Down By The Bay where we make up our own unique rhymes!
When it’s time to turn the TV off, here are some great alternatives that have similar vibes:
📚 Book Pairing: Wheels on the Bus by Raffi (or any singable nursery rhyme book)
🎧 Audio Alternative: You can stream Super Simple Songs on Spotify or Apple Music without the screen.
💡 Idea: Make it active by singing the songs together while doing hand motions or using toys. I also love singing these songs during diaper changes, while cleaning up and for transitions.
Ideas to Reduce Screen Time
Here are some simple swaps we use to balance out screen time:
Audiobooks while driving or during quiet play.
Music playlists (like Super Simple or Raffi) during meals or cleanup.
Independent play baskets (blocks, puzzles, pretend play) ready to pull out when you’d normally reach for the remote.
Outdoor time as a reset, even 10 minutes in the yard makes a difference.
Final Thoughts
The bottom line? Screens aren’t the enemy, they’re a tool. The goal is not to avoid them completely, but to use them thoughtfully. Choose content that is educational and calming, keep it limited, and whenever possible, sit and enjoy it with your child.
Parenting is a balance, and screen time is just one piece of the puzzle. Give yourself grace, use the guidelines as a north star, and remember that you know your child, and your family, best.
When screen time is done the BEST way, Balanced, Educational, Simple, and Together, it can support not only your child’s development but also your family’s overall well-being.
