{"id":260429,"date":"2026-03-13T05:36:32","date_gmt":"2026-03-13T05:36:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/?p=260429"},"modified":"2026-03-13T05:36:32","modified_gmt":"2026-03-13T05:36:32","slug":"how-long-should-a-kid-play-video-games","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/how-long-should-a-kid-play-video-games\/","title":{"rendered":"How long should a kid play video games?"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_67_1 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title \" >Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-1'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/how-long-should-a-kid-play-video-games\/#How_long_should_a_kid_play_video_games\" title=\"How long should a kid play video games?\">How long should a kid play video games?<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-2' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/how-long-should-a-kid-play-video-games\/#Understanding_Video_Game_Time_Limits\" title=\"Understanding Video Game Time Limits\">Understanding Video Game Time Limits<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/how-long-should-a-kid-play-video-games\/#Factors_to_Consider\" title=\"Factors to Consider\">Factors to Consider<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/how-long-should-a-kid-play-video-games\/#FAQs\" title=\"FAQs\">FAQs<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h1><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_long_should_a_kid_play_video_games\"><\/span>How long should a kid play video games?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h1>\n<p>The <strong>American Academy of Pediatrics<\/strong> recommends that kids over 6 years old should limit their <strong>video game<\/strong> time to <strong>60 minutes<\/strong> on school days and <strong>2 hours<\/strong> on non-school days, while children under 6 should spend closer to <strong>30 minutes<\/strong>. According to <strong>pediatricians<\/strong>, the ideal <strong>screen time<\/strong> for kids varies by age, with <strong>2-5 year olds<\/strong> allowed <strong>1 hour<\/strong> of <strong>co-viewing<\/strong> with a parent or sibling, and <strong>5-17 year olds<\/strong> limited to <strong>2 hours<\/strong> of <strong>screen-based entertainment<\/strong> per day. <\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Understanding_Video_Game_Time_Limits\"><\/span>Understanding Video Game Time Limits<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>To provide a comprehensive answer to the question of how long a kid should play video games, it&#8217;s essential to consider the <strong>age<\/strong> and <strong>individual needs<\/strong> of the child, as well as the potential <strong>effects of excessive gaming<\/strong> on their <strong>physical and mental health<\/strong>. <\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Factors_to_Consider\"><\/span>Factors to Consider<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>When determining how long a kid should play video games, parents should consider the <strong>type of game<\/strong>, <strong>content<\/strong>, and <strong>potential impact on behavior and homework<\/strong>. <\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"FAQs\"><\/span>FAQs<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<ol>\n<li><strong>What is a healthy amount of screen time for kids?<\/strong>: The <strong>American Academy of Pediatrics<\/strong> suggests that kids over 6 years old should limit their <strong>screen time<\/strong> to <strong>2 hours<\/strong> per day, while children under 6 should spend closer to <strong>30 minutes<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>How long should a 13-year-old play video games?<\/strong>: Pediatricians generally recommend that kids between <strong>5-17 years old<\/strong> should limit their <strong>screen-based entertainment<\/strong> to <strong>2 hours<\/strong> per day.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Can a 10-year-old play video games?<\/strong>: Yes, but parents should ensure that their child&#8217;s <strong>gaming time<\/strong> does not exceed <strong>2 hours<\/strong> per day and that they are playing <strong>age-appropriate games<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>How many hours of gaming is too much?<\/strong>: Research suggests that more than <strong>21 hours<\/strong> of gaming per week can have a <strong>detrimental impact on wellbeing<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Is 2 hours of gaming too much?<\/strong>: Not necessarily, but it depends on the individual child and their <strong>age<\/strong>, <strong>physical activity level<\/strong>, and <strong>overall health<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>What is a gaming disorder?<\/strong>: A <strong>gaming disorder<\/strong> is characterized by <strong>impaired control over gaming<\/strong>, <strong>increasing priority given to gaming<\/strong>, and <strong>negative impacts on daily life<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Is 18 too old to play video games?<\/strong>: No, <strong>video games<\/strong> are suitable for people of all ages, and many adults enjoy playing games as a <strong>hobby<\/strong> or <strong>form of entertainment<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Do 18-year-olds play video games?<\/strong>: Yes, according to a survey, <strong>36% of video game players<\/strong> are between <strong>18-34 years old<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Is 14 hours of gaming bad?<\/strong>: Yes, <strong>excessive gaming<\/strong> can lead to <strong>health problems<\/strong>, such as <strong>muscle and posture issues<\/strong>, <strong>sleep deprivation<\/strong>, and <strong>social isolation<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>How long should a 14-year-old play video games per day?<\/strong>: The <strong>American Academy of Pediatrics<\/strong> recommends limiting <strong>video games<\/strong> to <strong>1 hour<\/strong> per day for kids over 6 years old.<\/li>\n<li><strong>How much gaming is unhealthy?<\/strong>: Research suggests that playing <strong>video games<\/strong> for more than <strong>2 hours<\/strong> daily can increase the risk of <strong>depressive symptoms<\/strong> and <strong>social anxiety<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Is 5 hours of gaming bad?<\/strong>: It depends on the individual child and their <strong>physical activity level<\/strong>, <strong>social life<\/strong>, and <strong>overall health<\/strong>, but <strong>excessive gaming<\/strong> can lead to <strong>negative consequences<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>How does gaming affect the brain?<\/strong>: <strong>Video games<\/strong> can increase <strong>activity in brain regions associated with arousal and anxiety<\/strong> while reducing <strong>activity in regions associated with emotion regulation<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>How long do video game addicts play?<\/strong>: <strong>Video game addiction<\/strong> can lead to <strong>extended gaming sessions<\/strong>, with some gamers playing for <strong>10-20 hours<\/strong> or more in a single session.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Is 20 hours of gaming a week bad?<\/strong>: Not necessarily, as long as the individual is <strong>balancing gaming with other activities<\/strong>, such as <strong>physical exercise<\/strong>, <strong>socializing<\/strong>, and <strong>work or school<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>How long should a kid play video games? The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that kids over 6 years old should limit their video game time to 60 minutes on school days and 2 hours on non-school days, while children under 6 should spend closer to 30 minutes. According to pediatricians, the ideal screen time &#8230; <a title=\"How long should a kid play video games?\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/how-long-should-a-kid-play-video-games\/\" aria-label=\"More on How long should a kid play video games?\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-260429","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-blog"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/260429","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=260429"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/260429\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=260429"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=260429"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=260429"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}