Little children should be moving more, sitting less and spending no time in front of a screen, whether it be a TV, computer or a tablet.

That's according to new recommendations, billed as the first Canadian guidelines for physical activity and sedentary behaviour for children four and younger.

The committe that drew up the guidelines says there's no redeeming feature of screen time for kids under the age of two, adding it's not advantageous for healthy growth and development ...

The guidelines also suggest children under one should be allowed to partake in active play several times daily, including things like tummy time, reaching and grasping, and crawling.

For kids aged one to four, parents should aim for three hours of activity a day.  By age five, children should be spending at least an hour a day in energetic play, activities like hopping, skipping and bike riding.

(with files from the Canadian Press)