Is 90 minutes of Minecraft a day too much for an 8-year-old? | DadHQ

Is 90 minutes of Minecraft a day too much for an 8-year-old?

18h ago1 min read

My son has been asking for more screen time and I've been letting him play Minecraft for about an hour and a half on school nights. He claims all his friends get unlimited time and honestly I have no idea if that's true. His teacher says his grades are fine and he's not falling asleep in class, but I worry I'm being too lenient. What do other parents actually do? Are we talking like 30 minutes max or is 90 minutes reasonable?

7 comments203 views

Comments(7)

RRick M.Regularjust now

90 minutes is on the higher end for that age but it depends on the kid and whether he's doing other stuff. The American Academy recommendation is like 60 minutes for school age which honestly feels tight to me.

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JJoeRegularjust now

If he's asking for more it might be worth looking at what else is going on. Is he bored? Avoiding something? Minecraft can be addictive but usually there's something underneath the ask.

BBrandonNew Dadjust now

Our 8-year-old was asking for more too and we realized he was bored with other stuff. Adding an extra activity outside the house actually made the screen time request go down naturally.

SSean M.New Dad15h ago

Depends on your kid I guess, but I've read that 60 minutes is the sweet spot for that age. After that the diminishing returns kick in and they get more irritable. Have you tried using it as a reward for finishing homework or chores?

BBrian M.New Dad10h ago

We do about an hour on weekends and less on school nights. Minecraft is better than some stuff since he's at least being creative but watch out because once you set a limit it's hard to stick to.

JJoshuaNew Dad47m ago

90 minutes is a bit much honestly. I try to keep it closer to 60 for my 8yo on school days. Maybe give him more on weekends if he's earned it? The thing with Minecraft is it's easier to justify than other games since there's actually some creativity involved.

BBrian M.New Dadjust now

We do 90 minutes on weekends only, 45 on school nights. Kids push back every single time but it's become the baseline. The key is being consistent so they stop asking for negotiations.