What the mew Children of the 2020s research on screen time means for teachers

What the New Children of the 2020s Research on Screen Time Means for Teachers

A new research brief published this month reports key findings from the Children of the 2020s (COT20s) study on the home learning environment and screen time when children are age 2. The study uses data collected from thousands of families in England and highlights how common screen use is by the age of two and how it relates to early language and development outcomes.

This is important for primary teachers because it reflects patterns we increasingly see in school — children arriving with rich but complicated digital lives already shaping how they communicate, focus and learn.

What the research found

The Children of the 2020s brief shows that:

• Almost all two-year-olds (98 per cent) watched television, videos or other digital content on a screen on a typical day.

• On average, these children watched screens for 127 minutes per day, and when video games are included total screen exposure rises further.

• Screen time at this age was higher among children in families facing social and economic disadvantage, and in households where the primary caregiver was experiencing mental health challenges.

• The study found that higher screen time was independently associated with lower vocabulary at age 2, though it also showed that home learning activities such as reading, playing with letters or numbers, and singing were strongly linked with better language outcomes.

• A quarter of children scored above the threshold indicating possible emotional or behavioural concerns, and higher screen time was also related to this.

The report does not claim that screen time causes these effects, but it does show patterns worth noticing and discussing with families, health professionals and in schools.

What this might mean for teachers

For many primary teachers, this research supports what you may already notice: children’s early lives often include substantial screen exposure, and this can intersect with language development, behaviour and readiness for school.

Rather than assuming screens are inherently good or bad, this evidence invites us to think about:

1. The quality of screen time
Not all screen use is the same. Interactive, shared screen activities with adults may support learning more than solitary or passive viewing. The balance between screens and rich home learning experiences seems especially relevant in early years.

2. Supporting children’s digital literacy and conversation skills
Young children need experiences that nurture vocabulary, conversation and social engagement. Being intentional about how digital tools are used in the classroom — and discussing why and how with children — can help them connect what they do online with broader communication skills.

3. Talking with families without judgement
Many families rely on screens to manage busy lives, and parents may be unsure about what ‘healthy digital use’ looks like. This research gives teachers a grounded, evidence-based reference point for conversations that are curious, supportive and realistic rather than critical.

4. Seeing screen time as part of a wider picture
The strongest associations with vocabulary and behaviour were linked with other home learning experiences as well as screen use. This reminds us that children’s development is shaped by many factors including reading, play, talk and relationships as well as technology.

An invitation to further conversation

This research brief doesn’t offer firm answers about screen time limits, and it does not replace professional guidance from health or early years experts. What it does do is show us patterns in a large group of children in England that we can use to inform thoughtful, compassionate classroom practice and professional dialogue.

For primary teachers, it feels like a call to continue important conversations about how children engage with screens, how those experiences intersect with early learning, and how we can support all children to develop confidence, curiosity and language skills whether they arrive at school with more or less screen experience.

You can read the full Children of the 2020s brief here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/695fc42241ddb40d13f76527/COT2020s_-_home_learning_environment_and_screen_time_at_age_2_-_research_brief.pdf