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Researchers at the Institute for the Science of Early Years at the University of East London are examining how different types of screen content affect children.

Observing three-year-old Alex with a sensory cap, Professor Sam Wass said he is particularly interested in “moments where his brain can't keep up anymore, where the content is happening at a speed which is too fast for his brain to track.”

“If stuff is coming at us too fast, something called the fight-or-flight stress system kicks in, where your heart starts beating faster and you start to get a lot of energy released to your muscles,” he explained. “Of course, this isn't actually useful anymore, because this is happening when children are sat still on a chair watching screen content.”

Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Prof Wass noted that screens are not as effective as face-to-face learning. He added that researchers still need to understand why children are so drawn to screens.

Over the past 20 to 30 years, he said, children’s programming has shifted from slower-paced content to fast-moving shows with constant action and talking. “There is good evidence” linking exposure to fast-paced, unpredictable content with emotional dysregulation, or difficulty managing emotions, he said.

The guidance clarifies that limits should not apply to screen-based assistive technologies used to support children with special educational needs and disabilities.

“I know there are lots of pressures on families and the intention behind the guidance is not to be judgmental, but to be supportive and to provide that clear practical help that parents have been telling us they really want to see,” Phillipson said.

It also advises avoiding artificial intelligence (AI) toys or tools.

Online safety campaigner Ian Russell described the guidance as a “hopeful sign.” His 14-year-old daughter Molly took her life after exposure to harmful content online. “This is advice that's based on evidence and I think that's the key point here,” he said, adding that early intervention is critical.

Vicki Shotbolt, founder of Parent Zone, emphasized that young children cannot entirely avoid technology. “A small child under the age of five who's got an AI smart speaker in the house will be interacting with it,” she said. “So the idea that we can completely keep them away from it is probably flawed, but it's good general guidance.”

Shadow Education Secretary Laura Trott welcomed the guidance but urged further measures, such as banning smartphones in schools and restricting social media for under-16s. Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey also supported the guidance but criticized the government for acting “way too slow” on social media and missing “the big picture.”