How much television is okay?

Experts from education, psychology, medicine and the media agree: the less television, the better! Because too much consumption and the wrong content can be harmful to development. Children who sit in front of the screen for too long are at risk of getting too little exercise, they play less outdoors in nature, less with other children, do less sports, maybe even eat too many unhealthy snacks on the side. Possible consequences include behavioral problems, obesity, sleep and concentration problems, and weaker performance at school.

The German Federal Center for Health Education (BZgA) has published a recommendation on the daily media usage times of children. Parents can use this as a guide. It states that children between the ages of 6 and 10 should not watch TV, videos or play on a tablet, computer or console for more than 60 minutes a day. Timing is also important: not before school, not at mealtime, not right before bedtime. Other activities should not be neglected, including sufficient exercise, joint activities with the family, playing with friends. You can find the complete recommendation of the BZgA as a download in the sidebar.

What children are allowed to watch is very important. Far too often, some children watch films or programs that disturb or frighten them, that they do not understand. What is wrong, therefore, is to give your child free choice about what he or she watches. Good children's television should be age-appropriate. It can impart knowledge in an entertaining way, explain the background to world events, encourage imagination and strengthen media competence. Whenever possible, you should watch the program together with your children.

The choice of programs today is limitless. And often, certain shows your child has heard about at school or from older siblings hold a special appeal. So what can you use as a guide? Recommendations are made by youth protection organizations after thorough examination. Such age ratings are issued by the Freiwillige Selbstkontrolle Fernsehen (FSF) and the Freiwillige Selbstkontrolle der Filmwirtschaft (FSK). These state whether there are risks to child development when viewing the respective media. Films, for example, that are approved "from 6" can be difficult for four-year-olds to cope with. However, the guideline values only provide orientation. The age rating does not guarantee that your six-year-old child will be able to handle the media content without any problems. As a parent, you know your child best: watch how your child behaves and reacts. If you notice that your child does not understand the content or that what he or she is seeing is bothering or even frightening your child, talk about it together. With conversation, you can resolve fears in most cases.