"Screen Smart from the Start" Nationwide Movement Launched at the National Family Festival 2026 to Support Families in the Digital Age

1. The Ministry of Digital Development and Information (MDDI) today launched "Screen Smart from the Start", a nationwide movement to help families foster healthy digital habits from young.

2. Launched by Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Lawrence Wong at the fifth edition of the National Family Festival, the movement reflects a whole-of-government commitment to supporting parents as they navigate the challenges of raising children in a digital age. An MDDI survey conducted last year found that only 37% of parents felt confident in their ability to manage their children's digital activities, and more than half wanted more support.

3. To address this, "Screen Smart from the Start" brings together practical guidance, meaningful offline experiences, and strong community support.

a) Making Resources Accessible and User-Friendly

           i.  A new one-stop portal, Be Screen Smart (bescreensmart.gov.sg), brings together resources¹ on digital parenting, making it easier for parents to find the guidance they need. The portal provides practical, age-appropriate tips for children and youths aged 0–6, 7–12, and 13–18.

          ii. To further support families with practical resources on balanced screen use, the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF), in collaboration with the Families for Life Council, will roll out children's books on digital wellness later this year to help children understand the importance of balanced digital use from young.

b) Connecting Families with More Non-Screen Activities

            i. Fostering healthy digital habits goes beyond minimising screen time. To help families find meaningful offline alternatives for balanced childhood experiences, a wide range of accessible offline activities for families with children of all ages will be made available on the Be Screen Smart portal from the June school holidays.

          ii. Reading is one such alternative. Beyond creating opportunities for family bonding, reading nurtures critical thinking and empathy in children. As part of the National Library Board’s (NLB) efforts to make reading engaging and joyful, families can look forward to a series of reading-related activities, including themed storytelling sessions, across various libraries during the June school holidays and beyond. NLB will also launch a new run of the popular Book Bugs programme from August 2026, anchored by a new edition titled The Secret of the Shards, where children borrow library materials to earn points and redeem collectible cards.

        iii. 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 3–6, to facilitate screen-free family engagement and intergenerational bonding.

c) Strengthening Community Partnerships

            i. The Government will work alongside a wide network of community partners and volunteers to reach and support parents where they are. PA is incorporating digital parenting into 20 PA Family PLAYGround community events islandwide in the second half of 2026². It will feature interactive booths with hands-on, screen-free activities designed to encourage meaningful parent-child engagement and strengthen bonding among families to bring communities closer together.

          ii. 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. Community leaders will be supported through a dedicated playbook, which includes a network of community partners and resources they can tap on to organise well-being workshops based on their residents’ needs. The movement will further extend its reach to families through community organisations, schools, and healthcare settings.

A Whole-of-Society Approach to Children’s Digital Health

4. "Screen Smart from the Start" ties in with the Government's wider Grow Well SG initiative, which empowers families — supported by preschools, schools, healthcare institutions, and the community — to build healthy habits in children from young. When families actively select, discuss, and co-view content together, passive screen time can become meaningful family time. By supporting parents early, we can help children build habits that will serve them well for life.

5. The Government invites families to visit bescreensmart.gov.sg to access the full range of resources and activities available, and encourages everyone to participate in the National Family Festival activities taking place throughout June 2026.
   

¹The Be Screen Smart portal brings together resources from Early Childhood Development Agency’s Beanstalk portal, Health Promotion Board’s Parent Hub portal, Infocomm Media Development Authority’s Digital for Life portal, Ministry of Education’s schoolbag online publication, Ministry of Health’s Guidance on Screen Use in Children, Ministry of Social and Family Development’s Families for Life portal, and the Parenting for Wellness portal (a collaboration between Health Promotion Board, Ministry of Education and Ministry of Social and Family Development).

²The list of PA Family PLAYGround community events is available on the Be Screen Smart portal.