What Toy Story 5 can teach us about screen time for children

Screens have become a huge part of our lives – devices occupy parents and children alike. For many parents, allowing their child to use a device is part of modern life but can also create a sense of unease.

Now, Hollywood has stepped into the debate with the main storyline of Toy Story 5, which is in cinemas from 19 June, all about screen time and tech. In the film, a tablet called Lilypad starts monopolising the attention of 8-year-old Bonnie at the point she’s trying to learn to make new friends.

Bitesize Parenting spoke to one of the film’s Directors - Academy Award winner Andrew Stanton, and Producer Lindsey Collins as well as two of the film’s stars - Greta Lee (Lilypad) and Joan Cusack (Jessie) to ask them what the film was trying to share with audiences. Watch the video below.

How can parents model good behaviour?

Dr Martha Deiros Collado is a clinical psychologist with over 20 years of clinical and academic experience, on the Bitesize Parenting Teens podcast she suggests that if parents want to reduce screen time for their children, they need to start being more open and honest about their own screen time.

She says, “First of all, you have to start an open dialogue about what you do on your phone… One of the things we all do with our phones is it buzzes, we pick it up, a bit like it's a novel - it's silent. You read and then you put it down. But no one knows what you just saw, right? Start talking about it.”

She talks about adopting ‘conscious scrolling’ - so announce that you're scrolling when you're doing it, sharing what you're looking at with your children.

Dr Martha also says to set limits, “I would use a timer if it’s conscious or something, because the scroll will put your brain into a deep kind of semi-dormant state, you lose track of time… so maybe set an alarm for 10 minutes…”

Dr Martha thinks conversation is key – at whatever age – here’s her guide to screen time and resilience for teenagers.

More on modelling behaviour on smartphones

What’s the government guidance on screen time for under 5s in England?

Starting in March 2026, the Government has for the first time, offered guidance for parents – they pointed to “a quarter (24%) of parents of 3-to-5 year olds finding it hard to control their child’s screen time, and 98% of two year olds watching screens every day.”

Screen time for under-fives should be limited to one hour a day, parents told

CBeebies Parenting: How does screen time affect my child?

The guidance for children under two years of age is to avoid screen time except for shared activities which encourage conversation, interaction and bonding.

For children who are two-to-five-years of age the guidance suggests to try to keep screen time to no more than one hour a day. Avoid at mealtimes and in the hour before bed.

Parents should try to choose slow-paced and age-appropriate content. Avoid fast-paced, social media-style videos and also AI tools and AI toys.

Co-viewing is best. With parents and children watching or using screens together. It’s good to talk about what you’re watching - actively asking questions and engaging with the content - which is better for a child’s development than leaving them to use their own device alone.

While this advice is specified as for under 5s - some of this guidance may work for younger primary school-age children.

What should parents do about older children and screen use?

For over 5s – organisations like the NSPCC suggest:

• Following age ratings on sites and games
• Using parental settings
• Ensuring they have devices with limited capabilities – no access to social media (most of which has an age requirement of 13+)

There are growing calls for screen time to be reduced with potential bans on mobile phones in schools and the government has announced a 3 week consultation ahead of offering new guidance to parents of over 5s on screen use.

How can parents manage teenagers and screen use?

Teenagers have much more access to devices and also to social media and group chats which brings even more issues. While teenagers see their phones as a necessary social tool, they can also suffer from poor mental health and friendship issues because of their interactions online.

In order to try to do something about this, the UK Government has announced a forthcoming ban on social media for under-16s which should come into effect in spring of 2027. This seems likely to change relationships with screen time for older children.

Catherine Knibbs is a Child & Adult Psychotherapist and comes across the problems teenagers have with social media all the time in her work. She says “The Internet is unforgiving so it’s difficult to make mistakes. Young people are learning to navigate new social norms in a world that’s constantly changing and they don’t necessarily have the skills to do that.”

You have to discuss with your child what they’re doing. They have to feel free to discuss it with you.” - Child & Adult Psychotherapist, Catherine Knibbs

“Every single issue I’ve dealt with in therapy is where the parent and child’s communication is broken. So, for me, the solution to all these technology issues is conversations, conversations, conversations.

“You have to discuss with your child what they’re doing. They have to feel free to discuss it with you. And you have to have conversations about the conversations taking place.”

Dr Simon P Hammond, an Applied Psychologist and Lecturer in Education at the University of East Anglia, researches how young people are impacted by their digital lives.

He shared his thoughts on ‘doomscrolling’ with Bitesize Parenting.

“This doesn’t mean we are all ‘doomed’ to scroll, but understanding the tricks behind the swiping and scrolling can generate a sense of empowerment, which adults must role model for our children.”

Dr Hammond added, “Devices and apps are designed to be ‘sticky’ – that is they are designed to keep bringing us back and engaging with them, they use several interacting psychological and physiological mechanisms.”

How can we help move our families off their screens?

One way parents can try to limit screen time is to deliberately set aside family time - to go to the cinema or out for food, or have a pizza and movie experience together at home, but with a strict rule of no devices/handheld screens while doing this family activity.

How to help your family enjoy a screen free week

The original Toy Story film caused some consternation at being an entirely digital film. Technology has always caused concern - from photography and film to television and the internet. As a parent the best way to cope is to seek good advice but also to talk to and engage with your child at all stages of their development about their relationship with technology and their devices.

Siân Welby and Jordan North play 'Back in my day'

In Toy Story 5, Jessie is worried about being replaced by Lilypad, the latest must-have piece of tech… but the film also features a group of unloved retro tech toys that have been forgotten about, as well as a deflated flamingo pool toy and a well-worn garden gnome.

As a parent, you might occasionally find yourself having to explain tech from your childhood to your own kids (brick phones, anyone?), so we asked Siân Welby (Inflatable Flamingo) and Jordan North (Garden Gnome) to play the role of parents explaining some old tech in a game we like to call…'Back in my day!'

This article was published in June 2026

These articles offer more information on screen time and device use :

How much screen time is too much for children?

Five tips on how to talk to your child about their smartphone use

How to talk to angry teenagers - including about phone use and sleep habits

5 ways you can help boost your child’s confidence