https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Tue, 14 Apr 2026 05:04:49 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/screentime-during-quarantine/page/2#post-2914725 Wed, 29 Apr 2020 17:02:59 +0000 periwinklebee 2914725@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Daniel Tiger has been working great - thank you guys! I'm sure we'll need to try some of the other recommendations too as this goes on indefinitely... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/screentime-during-quarantine/page/2#post-2914619 Mon, 27 Apr 2020 09:43:17 +0000 Becky 2914619@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Totally depends on the day. We have had some absolutely awful weather recently and they get a lot more those days. I’m pregnant and struggling with insomnia and low iron so the other day I just let them sit and watch kids YouTube for 2 hours while I slept. If it’s nice out they spend lots of time outside. I’d say they’re averaging 2-4 hours per day (not counting educational screen time). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/screentime-during-quarantine/page/2#post-2914618 Mon, 27 Apr 2020 08:23:22 +0000 Mommy Finger 2914618@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My boys are 7 and almost 5. They get screen time in the morning from when they wake up until we start school time at 9. Yes, school work is on screens but it's educational! :) And then it's nothing until 1 hour at 3 if they've done their chores and other things. Then maybe a little before dinner. There are other random school zoom calls during the week. Friday night is always family movie night. And weekends are dependent on the family and the weather. We have to try to limit it as DS1 gets migraines and screen time is his main trigger. We got those blue light glasses and hopefully that helps. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/screentime-during-quarantine#post-2914611 Sun, 26 Apr 2020 16:58:45 +0000 delight 2914611@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@codeitall: don’t feel bad. We are in the same boat. We are both working from home. DH is a teacher and I’m an SLP. I spend most of my day doing video speech therapy sessions. Our 3 and 6 year olds are on their screens for hours each day. I feel sick about it but we need to work and I can’t have them barging into my office when I’m doing therapy. </p> <p>We do outside activities daily as well and the 6 year old completes her school assignments when DS is napping. </p> <p>We are all just trying to survive! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/screentime-during-quarantine#post-2914597 Sun, 26 Apr 2020 12:41:25 +0000 Mrs. Champagne 2914597@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Oreo: my oldest would sit to watch a show at 12 months and he watched a couple shows every single morning so I could shower etc. Do NOT feel bad. :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/screentime-during-quarantine#post-2914580 Sat, 25 Apr 2020 20:20:29 +0000 periwinklebee 2914580@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@jhd: @Mrs. Champagne: @ilovepie: @DesertDreams88: Thank you so much for the suggestions!!!</p> <p>@Mrs. Oreo: Not at all, Sesame Street is educational! I'm pretty sure I watched it (and various other stuff) every single day as a kid, my mother never thought twice about it, and I turned out (arguably - hah hah) fine. :heart: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/screentime-during-quarantine#post-2914574 Sat, 25 Apr 2020 18:24:43 +0000 DesertDreams88 2914574@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@periwinklebee:<br /> youtube: little baby bums and Blippi<br /> Netflix: little baby bums, octonauts, masha and the bear, any animal shows </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/screentime-during-quarantine#post-2914573 Sat, 25 Apr 2020 17:45:24 +0000 crazydoglady 2914573@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Oreo: Why??? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/screentime-during-quarantine#post-2914571 Sat, 25 Apr 2020 17:19:16 +0000 Mrs. Oreo 2914571@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Oh man. :shocked: My 15mo gets about an hour of Sesame Street in the AM since I need her to be quiet while I'm on a phone conference. DH is usually sleeping due to working overnight. </p> <p>I'm feeling like a total bonehead now. :meh: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/screentime-during-quarantine#post-2914563 Sat, 25 Apr 2020 15:20:45 +0000 ilovepie 2914563@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@periwinklebee: the only thing my 5 and 3 year olds watch is Shawn the Sheep (also on Amazon). They love it because it's silly, I love it because there's no talking so I don't worry about them learning words I don't want them to know yet. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/screentime-during-quarantine#post-2914561 Sat, 25 Apr 2020 14:08:17 +0000 Mrs. Champagne 2914561@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@periwinklebee: the first thing we ever got my daughter interested in is Blippi on YouTube. I think he’s great. It is the only thing my 21 month old will watch too (for maybe 10 mins. He’s insane). Give it a try! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/screentime-during-quarantine#post-2914560 Sat, 25 Apr 2020 13:53:59 +0000 jhd 2914560@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@periwinklebee: my two year old has enjoyed @lady baltimore:’s suggestion! We just found the little kid episodes on YouTube now I need to check out the ones on prime. My big kid likes Go Noodle for getting energy out </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/screentime-during-quarantine#post-2914559 Sat, 25 Apr 2020 13:39:44 +0000 periwinklebee 2914559@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@catgirl: @lady baltimore: @MrsSRS: @jhd: Thank you so much, these are great suggestions! </p> <p>Didn't realize so much was available through Prime, which I already have, so that's awesome! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/screentime-during-quarantine#post-2914558 Sat, 25 Apr 2020 13:31:20 +0000 lady baltimore 2914558@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@periwinklebee: Maybe try Cosmic Kids yoga? A season or two of episodes are included with Amazon Prime, and the presenter, Miss Jamie, tells a story to correspond with the series of yoga poses. That was the first thing my daughter watched regularly. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/screentime-during-quarantine#post-2914551 Sat, 25 Apr 2020 10:24:43 +0000 wrkbrk 2914551@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We don’t have an iPad or kindle and only one tv so it’s pretty well controlled by DW and me. That said - we are giving our four year old a lot more kid movie time now that we are both trying to work full days from home. I think I’ve bought 6 new movies to stream on amazon in 6 weeks!! 🤦🏻‍♀️ </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/screentime-during-quarantine#post-2914550 Sat, 25 Apr 2020 10:23:01 +0000 MrsSRS 2914550@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@periwinklebee: what about Vooks? It's books in animated video format. A bit reminiscent of reading rainbow. My kids weren't into longer shows at that age either. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/screentime-during-quarantine#post-2914547 Sat, 25 Apr 2020 09:42:14 +0000 jhd 2914547@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@periwinklebee: have you tried any of the pbs kids shows? I have a newly 2 year old who loves Daniel Tiger and Sesame Street. He also enjoys Super Why.</p> <p>ETA we watch through Prime, the pbs kids app on our Apple TV or kindle, and have also purchased Daniel Tiger dvds from Target!</p> <p>I have never been super duper strict about screen time but I am stricter about what my children watch. Daniel Tiger is very calming to both my boys.</p> <p>Also Thomas the train? New épisodes on Netflix now </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/screentime-during-quarantine#post-2914546 Sat, 25 Apr 2020 09:36:41 +0000 catgirl 2914546@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@periwinklebee: at that age the only show we let DD watch was Daniel tiger - and she loved it! (Still occasionally wants to watch it at five). We always watched it on Amazon prime, the first two seasons are still included with a prime membership. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/screentime-during-quarantine#post-2914545 Sat, 25 Apr 2020 09:34:49 +0000 catgirl 2914545@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Some days it’s our normal amount, which is 30-60 minutes. Some days it’s none. And some days it’s 5+ hours. Screen time is normally something I am super strict about but right now it just is what it is. Nothing about this is normal. And there are just some days we are all in a funk and want to zone out. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/screentime-during-quarantine#post-2914543 Sat, 25 Apr 2020 09:15:20 +0000 periwinklebee 2914543@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>SOS - what TV show would entertain a two year old? Where do you find them and do they require a subscription? </p> <p>My husband is pretty vehemently opposed to screens. But he's in meetings all day and I'm struggling with my work, It's piling up and I'm starting to panic - plus balancing him while I'm on meeting calls is also challenging. Toddler doesn't go to bed until 8:30, is up at 6am, I have an infant who gets up for feedings during that period, so not much time at night. Quitting isn't an option. </p> <p>But he doesn't seem at all interested in tv, I've mostly tried videos of people reading books and singing songs - as he loves both - but it doesn't compare to mommy doing it. He just wants me to read him books all day. Which is awesome, but even ten minutes here and there would be such a blessing for my sanity... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/screentime-during-quarantine#post-2914538 Fri, 24 Apr 2020 22:19:09 +0000 Alexandra603 2914538@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>To offer a different perspective, we don't do a lot of screen time. They watch 2 shows in the morning while I shower and get ready and that's it for the day. On Saturday afternoons we watch a movie together. My kids are 5 and 3. My 5 year old will do about 20 minutes of schoolwork on the computer each day and a once a week zoom meeting. Both my kids do 90 minutes of quiet time in their room after lunch and go to bed at 7pm so I do feel like I get a break and some downtime. Both my husband and I are working from home right now. Our jobs are somewhat flexible so we switch off being with the kids and working. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/screentime-during-quarantine#post-2914531 Fri, 24 Apr 2020 20:18:06 +0000 DillonLion 2914531@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My 7 year old does school-related things and gets outdoor activity from 930-12. My 9 month old is too little to notice or care about digital entertainment.</p> <p>The rest of the day the 7 year old is on screens unless she breaks to go on a family walk or play. She does video chat with family/friends for a lot of that so i count that as more social time vs mindless nonsense.</p> <p> It's temporary. But it is over 8 hours a day. When this is all over we will go back to a more reasonable schedule with screens. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/screentime-during-quarantine#post-2914529 Fri, 24 Apr 2020 20:10:24 +0000 Silva 2914529@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@codeitall: @Corduroy: you are doing a great job. these are not normal times. it is going to be okay, they will be okay, this will end. seriously- think of the bottom of Maslow's hierarchy of needs. if thats all we can do right now then that is all that matters. please don't beat yourself up. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/screentime-during-quarantine#post-2914527 Fri, 24 Apr 2020 19:59:49 +0000 erinbaderin 2914527@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>It’s not great over here. They get up around 6-6:30 and the tv is on until around 8:30 while we laze around/shower/drink coffee. There’s about an hour at lunch, and then another hour before dinner. Sometimes on Fridays we also declare it movie day and add a movie in the afternoon. And my husband and I have split the workday but if we both have meetings we can’t get out of....you gotta do what you gotta do. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/screentime-during-quarantine#post-2914525 Fri, 24 Apr 2020 18:52:55 +0000 Corduroy 2914525@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@codeitall: I was just thinking about how awful we're doing when I was reading the responses.</p> <p>Our weekdays have become 'all the screentime' for the 4.5 year old and screentime after you do school for the 7 year old. They're up in the 8+ hours a day range easily. We used to have no screen time during the week.</p> <p>To try to compensate somewhat in my head I'm doing a screen free Sunday. Really we give up around 4pm when the dread (prep, homework prep, reality) of the coming week sets in. I wish we could do screen free Saturday also but DH and I are using that time to decompress a little so it's just not all the screen time Sat.</p> <p>We're not happy about it but that's what it is. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/screentime-during-quarantine#post-2914523 Fri, 24 Apr 2020 17:35:18 +0000 codeitall 2914523@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Good grief you all have it together more than I do. Both DH and I are working remotely full time and the kids (3 and 5) get about 5-6 hours of screen time a day. They get shows in the morning during our earliest morning meetings, then the TV turns off automatically (thanks google routines). After that we just try and keep them alive till 5. They have kindle fires with severely trimmed down app options that require thinking/learning/interaction so I don't feel too bad. We also set up old computers for both of them so they can play pbs kids games, watch live zoo cams, and play starfall learning games.</p> <p>Then they get about 15-20 minutes of a show before bed to help wind down and get cuddles on the couch. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/screentime-during-quarantine#post-2914518 Fri, 24 Apr 2020 14:53:15 +0000 IRunForFun 2914518@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>3-year-old usually watches for 2ish hours in the morning. The 8-month-old wakes up before 6 am for the day, so when DD1 gets up between 6:30 to 7 she plays for a little bit and has breakfast, and then watches TV while the baby takes her first nap. I really need her to stay quiet to the baby can take a decent nap. In the early afternoon DD1 gets my Kindle to look at some read-along books we check out from the library while I feed DD2 and get her ready to nap again. Then DD1 naps/has quiet time and we try not to do screens again for the rest of the day. If DD1 for some reason doesn’t nap and won’t stay in her room I will turn on a movie for her though, because I need that quiet time for myself!</p> <p>I want to say it’s probably an average of 3 hours of screen time a day. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/screentime-during-quarantine#post-2914511 Fri, 24 Apr 2020 13:47:23 +0000 Anagram 2914511@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>ETA: my kids are 4 and 6. I’ve been mentally dividing screen time into 2 categories: “bad screen time”—this is where they just sit-and-get, like a tv show, or a silly game on their kindles. And “neutral screentime”, where they are doing required schoolwork/zoom or doing something active like a dance class.</p> <p>So bad screentime (this is only my mental vocabulary) policy is exactly the same as always: the get 2 shows a day, 1 in the morning and 1 after dinner. Younger kid picks the morning show and older kid picks evening show. The shows are 22 minutes. They get 30 minutes of kindles on weekend only, and that’s in place of a show, not in addition. We try to watch 1 family movie 1x a week on Friday nights, but other than that, we don’t allow a lot just because it goes over our screen time. </p> <p>“Neutral screen time” is way, way up now. We had none at home before (I know they sometimes watch educational videos at school). Now they do Cosmic kids yoga, 1 online dance class, 1 YouTube stretching video (they are both trying to get their splits and aren’t very flexible), they both have daily zoom class now, and my older one also now has online Language Arts and Math worksheets (the used to be printed out but now it’s online). And on top of all that, if we can’t go outside because of weather, I let them do either Nintendo Fit or Just Dance, to keep them active. </p> <p>So I’m a weirdo, like I don’t let them play video games where they just sit and play. But I let them play Nintendo Fit. In my mind, I feel like one is filling a need and the other is fluff. But that’s just our family, I know other people feel differently about gaming. My kids never pick educational games on their kindle, which is why I limit it to 30 minutes on weekends only. </p> <p>They don’t push back on the rules, because it’s been this way forever, so it works for us. </p> <p>Sometimes during the school year, we cut down to just the 1 show each morning, so the evenings have more time for homework, reading out loud, etc, so they are used to all my rules. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/screentime-during-quarantine#post-2914510 Fri, 24 Apr 2020 13:45:10 +0000 DesertDreams88 2914510@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My kids are 4 and 2, and they hate sitting for meals or really eating at all. So honestly, it's easiest for us to pair screentime with meals, because between the two things they actually will sit and stay contained for awhile. It also gives us a natural ending - when the meals over, the show is over; or vice versa. </p> <p>We do about 30 min of "Breakfast with Blippi" or something decently "educational" on Youtube; then some sort of short Netflix episode for lunch, then a Disney movie with dinner. SO, basically, 30 min, 30 min, then 60-90 min. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/screentime-during-quarantine#post-2914508 Fri, 24 Apr 2020 13:32:25 +0000 Mrs. Champagne 2914508@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@HappyBaker: yes mine are early risers too. Counting down the minutes until the baby will start watching a show too. 😂 </p>