Blog / Screen time for teenagers
Screen time for teenagers: how much is too much?
Most parents of teenagers have had the screen-time argument. Most teenagers have quietly wished they spent less time on their phone too. Here's what the New Zealand guidelines say, what's actually normal – and a way to cut back that doesn't turn into a war.
What the NZ guidelines say
The Ministry of Health's guidelines for 5 to 17-year-olds – Sit Less, Move More, Sleep Well – recommend that in a healthy day young people get (Ministry of Health):
- no more than 2 hours of recreational screen time
- 8 to 10 hours of uninterrupted sleep (for 14 to 17-year-olds), with consistent bed and wake-up times
- at least 1 hour of moderate to vigorous physical activity
“Recreational” matters. Homework, a coding project or editing a video for a school assignment isn't the same as scrolling.
What's actually normal
A 2025 survey of NZ teens aged 13 to 17 found they spend about 2.5 hours a day on social media alone, and 32% spend five hours or more (PHCC). Add YouTube, gaming and streaming, and most teens are well past the guideline. So if your teen is over two hours, they're not unusual – but “normal” isn't the same as “good for them”.
Not all screen time is equal
| Usually fine | Worth watching |
|---|---|
| Making things: music, videos, code, art | Endless short-video feeds |
| Video calls and chatting with real friends | Scrolling other people's lives for hours |
| Learning a skill they chose | Anything in bed after lights-out |
| Gaming with mates, with a clear stop time | Gaming or scrolling that replaces sleep, sport or school |
Signs it's too much
- They're tired most mornings, or sleeping in to catch up
- They've dropped things they used to love – sport, music, mates in person
- They get anxious or angry when they can't check their phone
- School work slides, or they say they can't concentrate
- They seem flat after time online rather than happier
How to cut back without a war
Big bans tend to fail: they create conflict, and they leave an empty hole where the phone used to be. Small, steady changes stick.
- Start with a number, not a judgement. Look at the screen-time report together – Screen Time on iPhone or Digital Wellbeing on Android. Teens are often surprised by their own numbers.
- Phones charge outside bedrooms. For everyone, parents included. This protects sleep more than any app limit.
- Turn off non-essential notifications. Fewer pings, fewer “just checking”.
- Set limits on the two worst apps, not on everything. Your teen usually knows which ones they are.
- Cut back week by week. Aim for something like 30 minutes less a day each week, not a cold-turkey cut. It's much easier to keep going.
- Count the time won back. “You won back 5 hours this week” is motivating. “You're still on it too much” isn't.
- Fill the gap with something real. Training, a part-time job, a project, cooking, friends in person. The goal isn't less screen – it's more life.
- Make it a family thing. If the adults scroll through dinner, the rules won't stick.
What schools are doing
Since Term 2 2024, New Zealand schools have had to make sure students don't use phones during the school day (“Phones Away for the Day”). The Education Review Office found most secondary leaders (83%) and teachers (79%) say students' focus has improved – but only around half of secondary students consistently follow the rules (ERO, 2025). ERO also has tips for parents on backing up the school rules at home.
For teens reading this
You don't have to quit your phone. Try this for one week: turn off notifications for every app except messages, charge your phone outside your room, and write down one thing you did with the time you won back. That's it. Next week, go a bit further.
Week by Week builds this in: you set a phone-time goal, plan a realistic week that still has room for sport, friends and gaming, and see how many hours a week you win back. Each week you pick one real-world step and celebrate it when it's done. See how it works.
For the research on what social media does to mood, sleep and self-worth, read what social media actually does to teenagers.
If things feel heavy: free call or text 1737 any time to talk to a trained counsellor. Youthline: 0800 376 633 or free text 234. In an emergency, call 111.
Questions
How many hours of screen time is normal for a teenager?
NZ guidelines recommend no more than two hours a day of recreational screen time for 5 to 17-year-olds. In reality, NZ teens average about 2.5 hours a day on social media alone, and almost a third spend five hours or more.
Is 7 hours of screen time a day bad for a teenager?
It depends what it is. Seven hours including school work, a coding project and a movie with friends is different from seven hours of scrolling. If it's mostly passive scrolling, or it's cutting into sleep, exercise and friends, it's worth cutting back.
Does screen time affect teenagers' sleep?
Yes. Phones in bedrooms, notifications and late-night scrolling cut into the 8 to 10 hours a night that 14 to 17-year-olds need. Charging phones outside the bedroom is the single most effective change most families can make.
How can I reduce my screen time as a student?
Turn off non-essential notifications, set app limits, keep your phone out of your bedroom at night and replace scrolling with something specific – training, a job, a project or friends in person. Cut back a little each week rather than all at once.
Help your teen find their direction – one week at a time. Week by Week is an AI life and career coach for NZ students. It helps them work out what drives them, shows career paths that fit and any current local job ads, and helps them win back time from their phone. Join with a nickname – no real name needed – and free for students when their school uses it.
Sources
- Ministry of Health (2017), Sit Less, Move More, Sleep Well – physical activity guidelines for children and young people
- Public Health Communication Centre (2025), Problematic social media use common among NZ teens
- Education Review Office (2025), Do not disturb: removing cell phones from NZ classrooms
- Education Review Office, Cell phone rules and how you can help (for parents)
- Apple Support, Use Screen Time to manage your child’s iPhone or iPad
- Google Support, Manage how you spend time on your Android phone with Digital Wellbeing