Toddlers & Technology
Issues surrounding 'screentime' of children
Whatever happened to free range kids?
Toddlers in our digital age have become enslaved to technology to the point where it is affecting their development. Are these tools expanding kids horizons, or are they constricting them? Are children’s little worlds becoming smaller, or are they becoming bigger? Read further to learn more about the issues surrounding 'Screentime' and children
Evolution of Childhood Toys
2000 BC
1500's Tudor
Victorian Era
1950's
1960's
1970's
1980's
1990's
2000's
Screentime
What is Screentime?
The use of electronic media has infiltrated almost every aspect of our daily lives. “Screentime” can be defined as simply the amount of time spent in front of any electronic device. Types of technology used by children include:
- Television
- DVD's and Movies
- Video games ( X box, Playstation, Wii, Nintendo)
- Toys (leap frog, interactive books)
- Computer
- Tablets and MP3 Players ( iPad, iPod)
- Phones (iPhone, smartphones)
Fascinating facts & Stats
- Watching 'free-to-air' TV is the most common kind of media interaction for Australian children under the age of eight. The use of other media forms increases with age
- In 2009, The Australian Bureau of Statistics reported that over 40% of children aged 5-14 watched an average of 20+ hours of television per fortnight. It was also revealed that 40% of children also spent less than 2 hours per fortnight doing informal physical activity, such as: riding a bike, playing a sport
- The ABS also reported in 2009 that 10% of children aged 5-14 played video games for 20 hours or more on average every fortnight
- A 2007 Australian study found that 4 year olds watched an average of 2.3 hours of TV on weekdays and 2.2 hours on weekends
According to the 2007 National Australian Children's Nutrition and Physical Activity Survey - South Australian findings:
- Children of the lowest SES quartile accumulate 30-50 mins more screentime than children of a higher SES. In addition high SES children have 30 min/day more school related time and 20 min/day more sport than low SES children
- Screentime is the highest in holidays and on weekend. Adolescents spent an extra 100 min/day in front of small screens on weekends and public holidays
- Boy's accumulate about 40 mins/day more screen time than girls
Other Research shows that:
- Obese children watch more TV and accumulate more screen time than non-obese children
- Watching TV for 2hrs per day during childhood and adolescence has been shown to contribute to 17% of adult obesity
How much Screentime for children?
Activities such as: active physical play, creative and imaginative play, hands-on fun, and anything that involves relationships and interactions with real people, are vital for a child's development. Although adolescents and adults believe that screens can provide a child with this, the reality is that they don't.
Children under 2 should steer clear of any form of screentime. Children aged 2-5 years should have no more than an hour a day. And children aged 5 -18 years should have no more than 2 hours a day!
How does Screentime affect a child's development?
Moodiness. Restlessness. Strange cravings. Incoherent speech. An inability to focus on tasks that require concentration. Emotional outbursts. These qualities may be used to describe a person on drugs or trying to quit smoking. Some say they also perfectly express what young children are like after a two hour Disney movie.
Screen time has a powerful effect on children, not to mention adults. Although screentime can have positive effects on a child's development if used in moderation and boundaries are set by parents, it can also have negative affects if used frequently and no boundaries are set by parents
Positive effects on a child's development
Physical
- enhance a child’s eye-hand coordination and fine motor skills due to navigating and using an interactive device, keyboard and mouse usage
- Some consoles, such as Wii and the Kinnect allow children to play active games, building their muscular development
Cognitive
- Writing and reading using computers and other electronic devices can help children’s literacy and increase their knowledge of the world and others.
- Interactive games and computer sites help children and young people solve problems and think strategically.
- Children and young people can use computers to research, to be creative thinkers and to create their own content: profiles, films, animations, books, blogs, wikis
Social & Emotional
- The Internet allows children to socialise with other children through the use of email, chat rooms, and instant messaging, increasing the development of communication and social skills
- Children are able to experience and learn about different emotions while playing. e.g frustration, joy, excitement, anger
- Often the use of Internet in classrooms allows children to work together, encouraging the sharing of ideas and cooperative learning. Students that find conventional methods of learning difficult will find internet leaning fun.
Negative effects on a child's development
Physical
- Computer use demands fine motor skills from young eyes that are not well developed. Many eye doctors believe that heavy computer use among children puts them at risk for early myopia.
- If not playing active games, children be at risk of obesity and become less physically active. According to CSIRO 2007, children drink more sugary drinks, snack on foods high in sugar, salt and fat, and sleep less. Recent research shows that reducing screentime can lower a child's risk of obesity
Cognitive
- TV's, videos and computers can pull a child away from two important ways of learning, exploring and looking at books.They will become a passive viewer instead of an active learner
- Screen time, with the rapid presentation of sights and sounds, can overwhelm a young child and can actually lead to learning difficulties and behavioural problems.
- Studies showed that screen time over-stimulates the part of the brain where visual processing takes place, under-stimulating the development in other parts of the brain related to creativity and imagination
Social & Emotional
- Children may interact with people that are potentially dangerous, and consequently become victim of cyber bullies or even pedophiles
- The more time children spend alone in front of screens, the less time they spend with others which leads to them missing out on developing social skills that they will need throughout their lifetime. They can also become socially impaired due to playing games in solitude
- Children can become aggressive/violent due to seeing violence in games and on TV
- Children may view inappropriate explicit content that can emotionally scar them for life
Why do parents avoid Screentime recommendations?
1. It's easy and convenient.
2. It's educational.
3. It helps my child focus.
Developing healthy Screentime habits:
Developing healthy screen time habits while they’re young will help children and teenagers make better choices about how to use their free time when they’re older.
Like everything else in life, balance is the key. Children need the opportunity to be exposed to a wide range of attitudes and behaviours and they need to experience the world outside of screens, to talk, play, day-dream and to read.
3 simple steps:
Educate: Yourself about what they are using, where and for how long, and educate your child on the dangers of the internet and the impact overusing can have on them
Empower: Not only children and young people to balance their lives and limit screen time, but also yourself. Be a good role model towards your children and set screentime limits for also yourself!