Proportion of children aged 3 to 5 years that meet recommended guidelines for screen time, by selected characteristics, Canada. 2009 to 2013 (combined)
![](https://cichprofile.ca/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/7.5.4_july_revised.png)
Notes:
*According to the Canadian Sedentary Behaviour Guidelines for the Early Years (0 – 4 years): For healthy growth and development, caregivers should minimize the time infants (aged less than 1 year), toddlers (aged 1–2 years) and preschoolers (aged 3–4 years) spend being sedentary during waking hours. This includes prolonged sitting or being restrained (e.g., stroller, high chair) for more than one hour at a time. For those under 2 years, screen time (e.g., TV, computer, electronic games) is not recommended. For children 2–4 years, screen time should be limited to under one hour per day; less is better. For 5 year olds screen time should be limited to no more than 2 hours per day. http://www.csep.ca/view.asp?ccid=508 – accessed June 22, 2017.
**Overweight or obese: Ages 3 to 4- data too unreliable to be published.
***Secondary graduation or less: Ages 3 to 4- data too unreliable to be published.
****Single-child household: both age groups, use with caution.
Source: CICH graphic created using data adapted from Statistics Canada. Health Reports. Physical activity and sedentary behaviour of Canadian children aged 3 to 5. Research article, Catalogue no. 82-003-X, Vol. 27, no. 9, pp. 14-23, September 2016. http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/82-003-x/2016009/article/14653-eng.htm -accessed June 22, 2017.
The guidelines for screen time for 3 to 4 year-olds are no more than one hour per day, and for 5 year-olds no more than two hours a day.
Parents reported 1 hour or less of screen time for 22% of 3 to 4 year-olds, and 2 hours or less for 76% of 5 year-olds.1
Between 2009 and 2013, 3 to 4 year-olds who were in households with a lower level of parental education were less likely than those in higher level of education households to meet the guidelines for screen time.
5 year-olds in households with no other children were less likely to meet the guidelines than were those in households with other children.
1Statistics Canada. Health Reports. Physical activity and sedentary behaviour of Canadian children aged 3 to 5. Research article, Catalogue no. 82-003-X, Vol. 27, no. 9, pp. 14-23, September 2016. http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/82-003-x/2016009/article/14653-eng.htm-accessed June 22, 2017.