Australian school children are now spending more than 6 hours a day on screens – up from 4.24 in 2017, according to a new study.
The research, conducted by youth wellbeing charity Kulture Break and published in Current Psychology in 2025, studied over 1,900 Australian primary and secondary school students and found that heavy screen use is impacting children across four key developmental domains: education, emotional wellbeing, behaviour, and social and physical activity.
The study found that in addition to spending a quarter of their day on screens, 70% of kids aren’t meeting daily physical activity guidelines in Australia.
To address this, the charity, which uses dance and movement to build resilience in young people, has launched “Unstoppable 24” a free week-long school movement challenge in September, encouraging primary and secondary school students to complete 24 minutes of movement each day.
The initiative, announced today, is designed to help schools build belonging, boost learning readiness and strengthen resilience without adding pressure to teachers.
“What concerned me most was that the greatest developmental hits were to physical activity and emotional health, and that these impacts were showing up clearly in primary school, not just high school,” Dr Brad Marshall, leading psychologist (The Unplugged Psychologist) and screen-use specialist told The Educator.
“We also found that problematic screen use has increased significantly since 2017, with primary schoolers now averaging over six hours of recreational screen time a day. Schools are on the frontline of this, seeing the downstream effects in the classroom every single day.”
Dr Marshall said movement isn’t just good for the body, it’s one of the most powerful tools we have for the brain.
“Physical activity increases dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine, which are the very same neurochemicals that screens are hijacking in unhealthy ways. So movement isn’t just a nice counterbalance to screen time, it’s a neurological reset,” he said.
“For school leaders, the message is simple: don’t treat movement as a reward or a luxury that gets cut when the schedule gets tight. Build it in as a non-negotiable. Twenty four minutes a day, which is exactly what the Unstoppable 24 challenge is asking for, is genuinely achievable and, based on the science, genuinely meaningful.
Ambassador Michelle Bridges, who has spent more than two decades helping Australians build healthier habits, said Unstoppable 24 gives students a simple, uplifting way to feel better every day.
“Movement plays a crucial role in how young people feel – it can lift confidence, improve mood and strengthen social connection,” Bridges said. “When done with friends, it becomes more enjoyable, which helps it develop into a lasting habit.”
Bridges said Unstoppable 24 is achievable, engaging and supports students to build routines that genuinely benefit their wellbeing.
“I’m proud to support a program that helps young people strengthen their confidence, connection and everyday wellbeing.”
Francis Owusu, Kulture Break’s Founder and Chief Executive Officer, wants to empower one million “Unstoppable” students across Australia by 2030 to prioritise their wellbeing, stay active together and build lasting resilience habits.
When asked what sets Unstoppable 24 apart from other like minded initiatives, Owusu pointed to its focus on practical, school-led impact and measurable wellbeing outcomes.
“It goes beyond awareness raising or fundraising for external organisations. Instead, funds flow back into school led resilience programs, and we’ll be measuring changes in both student and teacher wellbeing,” Owusu told The Educator.
“It’s fully plug and play, with all resources provided to reduce pressure on teachers, and a fresh challenge each day to keep students engaged while strengthening belonging, resilience and school culture.”