S’pore launches movement to help families foster healthy digital habits

“With these strong foundations, hopefully it becomes easier to manage screen time when children grow older,” he said. “Eventually they will have their own smartphones but we want to instil in them the confidence and values to navigate the online world responsibly and safely.”

“We must, together, collectively create new social norms for the digital age. It must start with all of us working closely with parents, schools and community groups so that together, we can build healthier habits from young,” he said.

The Government will continue to do its part on this front, he noted. So far, it has banned the use of smartphones during school hours. It also plans to tighten safeguards around access to social media.

He added that the Government is fully committed to supporting families through every stage of life, especially parents of young children and young Singaporeans who would like to start families of their own.

One way is through the Marriage and Parenthood Reset Workgroup, chaired by Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office Indranee Rajah, which was formed after Singapore’s total fertility rate fell to a historic low of 0.87 in 2025. The workgroup will release a full report in early 2027.

“The team has been busy studying what more we can do, for example, in the areas of concerns like costs, care for the children, housing for young couples, so we will share what further moves we will make when we are ready,” PM Wong said.

PM Wong also said that safeguards on 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. As we limit screen time, we also need to have more time together as a family,” he said.

“We will continue to encourage more family-friendly activities… (and) make it easier for families to discover activities that appeal to them, and to spend meaningful time together.”

The portal will list a range of accessible offline activities for families with children of all ages, starting with the upcoming June school holidays.

Reading not only helps families to bond but also nurtures critical thinking and empathy in children, said a joint statement by MDDI and the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF).

Families can participate in a series of reading-related activities like themed storytelling sessions by the National Library Board (NLB) across various libraries.

From August, NLB will also launch a new run of the popular Book Bugs programme, under which children borrow library materials to earn points and redeem collectible cards.

In collaboration with the Families for Life Council, the MSF will roll out children’s books on digital wellness in 2026 to help children understand the importance of balanced digital use from young.

Minister of State for Digital Development and Information Rahayu Mahzam, who was also at the launch, said the Government wants to provide better access to support for certain parents in the communities.

She added that the Government has already been working with a wide network of partners, community organisations, corporate partners and schools, among others.

To foster healthy digital habits in his two sons, IT worker Shahril Hassan said he had cut down screen time for them from two hours to one hour, with the extra hour used for offline activities such as drawing, playing with toys and swimming.

The 38-year-old said he reduced device use after reading recommended guidelines, and also because he noticed that age-inappropriate content still seeped into what his children – who are aged six and eight – were watching.

However, he still faces difficulties such as having to explain the reduced limits and dividing the one hour of screen time between schoolwork and play.

The new portal will come in handy. He said: “It helps me to take the guesswork out of figuring out how to ensure my kids stay safe online and also gives me good pointers on how I can have conversations (about online content) with my children.”

In its fifth iteration, the National Family Festival encourages Singaporeans to strengthen family bonds through simple and intentional everyday actions. Held on May 30 and 31, the carnival drew 20,000 participants, said Families for Life.