Screen time for kids: the Swedish recommendations and the screen-free hour before bed

"Just one more episode!" Noah, 5, negotiates better than most adults. Sweden's Public Health Agency (Folkhälsomyndigheten) has clear advice on screen time for kids, including one key point about screen time before bed: put the screens away a while before lights out. Here is what that means in practice, for a normal family on a normal Tuesday.

What are the screen time recommendations for children?

Folkhälsomyndigheten presented its advice on children's and young people's screen use in autumn 2024. It covers leisure screen time such as films, clips, TV and games. Screens at preschool and school do not count. According to Sweden's 1177, which builds on the agency's advice, music, podcasts, audiobooks and e-books do not count either.

Notice the words rule of thumb. It is not a stopwatch that should ring at exactly 60 minutes. The agency stresses that screens should not crowd out sleep, movement, play and time together. For 2 to 5-year-olds it also suggests watching together, choosing age-appropriate content without ads, and not using screens to comfort or distract.

Why do screens before bed affect sleep?

Folkhälsomyndigheten puts it simply: the impressions from a screen can make it take longer to fall asleep and make sleep worse. On top of that, it is hard to stop. One episode becomes two, and suddenly your child falls asleep later than planned.

If you have a 4-year-old, you also know it is not only about the screen itself. It is about the switch. Going from an exciting film straight to brushing teeth is a big leap for a small brain. That is why a buffer works so well.

How long before bed should screens go off?

The agency's advice is to put screens away 30–60 minutes before it is time to sleep, and to keep phones, tablets and similar devices outside the bedroom at night. 1177 adds that a regular alarm clock beats the phone, and that it is easiest when the whole family follows the same rules.

For young children, that means in practice: no tablet in bed, no "film to fall asleep to". The bed is for stories, cuddles and sleep.

How do you make a screen-free evening actually work?

Here is what tends to work with preschoolers. Pick two or three ideas, not all at once.

1. Decide before you start. "We watch one episode, then it is bath time." One episode is easier to understand than "a little while".
2. Give a heads-up. "When this episode ends, we turn it off." Let your child press the button. It feels less like something is being taken away.
3. Let the screens "go to sleep". Give the tablet its own charging spot in the hallway or kitchen. Say goodnight to it. It sounds silly, but 3-year-olds love it.
4. Have a calm replacement ready. A puzzle, drawing, building, a story or a song. Folkhälsomyndigheten mentions stories and songs for young children.
5. Use sound instead of pictures. An audiobook or calm music does not count as screen time according to 1177, and it can be a lovely bridge.
6. Be the role model. Kids do what we do, not what we say. Put your own phone on the charging spot at bedtime too.

What an evening can look like

An example for Maja, 4, who goes to sleep at 7.30 pm. Your times may look completely different; what matters is the order.

Want more ideas for the steps after dinner? Read our guides to a bedtime routine for kids and the magic of the bedtime story.

What if my child protests when the screen goes off?

It will happen. It is completely normal for a child to get angry or sad when something fun ends. Name the feeling ("I know you wanted to watch more"), stick to the decision and move on to the next step of the evening. The more often you do it the same way, the faster it becomes a habit.

It also helps to make the bed something your child looks forward to, not a punishment when the screen ends. A favourite soft toy, a special blanket or a pillow in a colour they chose themselves makes bedtime a little cosier.

Our Lillmoln Kudde comes in three sizes, one per age: 1–3, 3–8 and 8–16 years, with a washable cover and Moln, a little cloud who loves to say goodnight. We do not need to say more than that here.

Wondering how much sleep a child your child's age needs? Read how much sleep children need.

FAQ