Excessive screen time can affect children's development, says PM Wong at National Family Festival

A new nationwide movement, "Screen Smart from the Start", has been launched to help families foster healthy digital habits from young.

According to a media release by the Ministry of Digital Development and Information (MDDI), the campaign was launched by Prime Minister Lawrence Wong at the fifth edition of the National Family Festival Family Carnival at the Expo on May 31.

PM Wong said: "As society evolves, new challenges will naturally emerge, and one key development is digitalisation because screens are now all around us; they influence how we interact with one another and how families raise their children."

"This can create new opportunities because parents and children now have access to a world of knowledge at their fingertips, but we also know it gives rise to new challenges."

New one-stop portal

The one-stop portal, Be Screen Smart, will bring together resources on digital parenting, enabling parents to find the guidance they need on screentime and device usage.

PM Wong said, “We want to make this practical and actionable for parents."

"Many parents tell us they want to do more, but don’t know where to start."

According to MDDI's press release, "The portal provides practical, age-appropriate tips for children and youths aged zero to six, seven to 12, and 13 to 18".

Children's books on digital wellness will also be rolled out later this year by the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF), in collaboration with the Families for Life Council.

Offline activities

In his speech, PM Wong said: "Safeguards over screen time must go hand in hand with spending quality time together as a family."

"You cannot just curb the use of devices and then leave a vacuum."

According to MDDI's news release, a range of accessible offline activities for families with children of all ages will also be made available on the Be Screen Smart portal from the June school holidays.

The National Library Board (NLB) will also host a series of reading-related activities and launch a new run of the Book Bugs programme from August 2026.

The programme allows children to borrow library materials to earn points to redeem collectable cards.

The People’s Association (PA) will also provide a curated 'Playkit' of play tools to participants of its digital parenting workshops for parents with children aged three to six.

The PA will also incorporate digital parenting into 20 PA Family PLAYGround community events islandwide in the second half of 2026.

MSF and the Families for Life Council will also work with corporate partners to reach parents at their workplaces with practical digital parenting tips and resources.

Support for parents

PM Wong spoke about how "excessive screen time can affect children's development" and cause them to "become more socially isolated".

He said that the concerns feel familiar to the past, where comics, television and video games were concerns, similar to device screentime today.

However, he noted that new mobile devices come with content that can potentially be more harmful, with addictive features and possibly toxic and dangerous online interactions.

"We have plans to further tighten safeguards around access to social media – for children and teens – and we will share these plans when we are ready."

Noting that parents have a role to play, PM Wong said the new national initiative will empower parents to better support their children’s digital journey.

Based on the press release, according to an MDDI survey conducted last year, only 37 per cent of the 1,986 parents surveyed felt confident in their ability to manage their children's digital activities, and more than half wanted more support.

The "Screen Smart from the Start" campaign aligns with the government's broader Grow Well SG initiative to support parents and build healthy habits in children.