How much screen time is right for children, and how to choose a safe learning app

Phones and tablets are part of family life. The question is no longer "should my child use them", but how long, for what, and in what way so that the time is well spent.

Recommendations by age

Health organizations give fairly consistent reference figures:

World Health Organization (WHO, 2019): for children aged 2 to 4, sedentary screen time should be no more than 1 hour a day; less is better.
American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP): for children aged 2 to 5, limit screen use to about 1 hour a day of high-quality content, ideally watched together with a parent. From age 6, families should set consistent limits and make sure screens do not take over sleep, physical activity and family time.

These figures are guidelines, not hard rules. More important than the number is the quality of the content and what the screen is replacing. An hour of autoplaying videos is very different from a short puzzle session with a parent sitting nearby.

Setting limits your child will accept

Agree before the device comes out. "We'll play one session, then put it away" is easier to accept than having the device taken away mid-game.
Use clear end points rather than "just a bit more". The end of a session, the end of an episode, or when the clock reaches the agreed time.
Give a heads-up. Remind your child a few minutes before time is up so they can finish what they are doing.
Have an appealing alternative. After screen time comes playing ball outside, riding a bike, reading a story or drawing.
Lead by example. Children copy what adults do. Phone-free dinners apply to the whole family.

Choosing a learning app: 6 things to check

Not every app labelled "educational" is right for children. Before installing, ask yourself:

Does it have ads? Ads distract children and can lead them to unsuitable content.
What data does the app collect? Read the privacy policy: does the app need your child's real name, photos or location? Is data shared with third parties?
Is it designed to keep children hooked? Constant rewards, streaks "you must not break" and automatic "play next" buttons make it hard to stop.
Are there time limits for parents? A good app helps you stop at the right moment instead of keeping your child there.
Is the content at the right level? The app should adapt the difficulty to your child, so they are neither bored nor discouraged.
How does the app react to mistakes? Red crosses, disapproving sounds or losing points can make children afraid of being wrong. Gentle feedback that invites another try is better.

Dologi is built on those principles

When making Dologi, we asked ourselves exactly those questions:

No ads, no tracking tools.
Your child's progress stays on the device and is not sent to a server. A profile only needs a nickname and an age.
One short session a day, then a break. In the parents' area, you can set a play-time limit for each player and see a 7-day report.
Mistakes lead to a gentle invitation to try again, with no red marks or criticism.

You can try it on the web to judge for yourself before letting your child use it.

In short

For children aged 2 to 5, about 1 hour of screen time a day is a common reference; from age 6, set consistent limits.
The quality of the content and what the screen replaces matter as much as the number of minutes.
Choose apps without ads, with minimal data collection, time limits and gentle feedback on mistakes.