Recently, new pediatric research conducted by Smith et al. (2023) highlighted the impact of prolonged screen time on a child’s overall development. Their findings indicate that excessive screen exposure can have negative effects on various aspects of child development, including language skills, self-regulation, and social interactions. This suggests the importance of limiting screen time and encouraging alternative activities to support healthy growth and development in children.
Excessive screen exposure during early childhood can interfere with brain development and hinder social and language skills. It's important to prioritize activities that focus on interactions. Children and parents should be reading, playing, and exploring the world around them. By maintaining a healthy balance between screen time and real-world experiences, parents can help their children thrive, grow and develop.
Limit Screen Time And Connect More With Children
Here are three simple strategies inspired by the Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University and our very own First Words: Module 7: The Impact of Screen Time on Language Development to help parents limit screen time and connect more with their children:
1. Create Screen-Free Zones: Designate specific areas in your home, like the living room or dining area, and especially the bedroom where screens are not allowed. In the absence of screens, families can focus their attention on each other. This also helps families to engage in face-to- face interactions and activities without distraction in screen-free spaces.
2. Establish Screen-Free Times: The Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University suggests that families establish clear rules about when and how much screen time is allowed each day. Use timers or screen time management apps to help children understand and stick to these limits. Encourage alternative activities like reading, playing outdoors, or engaging in creative projects. Set aside dedicated periods each day or week where screens are turned off.
Use this time to engage in activities like reading, playing games, or exploring nature together. It's a great opportunity to bond and strengthen relationships.
3. Focus on interactions and connections: Spend face-to-face time with your baby, your toddler or your older child. Track your child's interest in daily routines, games and conversations. Involve your children in daily routines. Ask them to help set the table while you cook. They can fold the dishcloths while you complete the laundry. Much research shows that it not only builds independence but also a sense of belonging and purpose in children.
4. Talk the talk: Talk to your child, all day long, every day. Listen. Wait for your child to respond. Take turns in the conversation. To become a skilled conversationalist, your child needs to practise the back-and-forth dance of conversation. Language grows out of daily talks and conversations in daily activities.
5. Plan Alternative Activities: Brainstorm fun and engaging activities that don't involve screens. Get creative with arts and crafts, go for nature walks, or have a family dance party. By providing alternative options, you can make screen-free time enjoyable for everyone.
6. Share Books Every Day: Read to your child every day. The book doesn't really matter as long as it is one that your child enjoys. Studies show that children who have been read to in the first five years of life have a huge advantage in language development.
7. Learn through Play: Play with them. Have them play on their own. Encourage all kinds of play like sensory, rough-and-tumble, and pretend play. Children need to play to learn. If your child gets bored with their toys, opt for a rotating system of toys. Put away some toys for a few weeks or months. When you take them out, they will feel like brand-new toys for them.
8. Lead by Example: Be a role model for your children as children often mimic adults’ behaviours. Be mindful of your own screen time. Limit your own screen time. Participate in screen-free activities. Model behaviours like reading together, playing games, or having conversations to show the importance of real-world connections. Show them the value of face-to-face interactions and the joy of spending time together as a family.
9. Use Screens to Interact: Use screen time to connect with a family or friend so that your child can talk, share, socialize and interact with another person. Digital technology for the use of connecting, interacting and socializing with family and friends doesn’t harm a child’s development. Research finds that young children can learn from video chatting to a greater extent than typical screen time. Socializing with family members and friends online is acceptable as long as parents can manage screen use for the rest of the day. It comes back to having a healthy routine around screen time management.
10. Plan Screen Time: When using screen time, choose educational, highly interactive and language-rich children’s programming that you both can enjoy. The best way to decide which program is best for your child is to watch it together. That gives you the chance to talk about it afterwards. Once you turn off the TV, talk about what you saw. Use puppets to tell the story again or draw a picture that tells the story. This will help them put their thoughts into words and get them talking!
By implementing these strategies, you can create a healthy balance between screen time and real- world experience. As parents, we want the best for our children. Talking, connecting and interacting with children help them grow, thrive and develop. Creating connections with your child during these meaningful conversations and interactions is actually building their brains and preparing them for later successes in life.
So this week, the real question you should asking might be “Is my child getting enough face time with me?“
References:
Smith, A. et al. (2023). "The Impact of Prolonged Screen Time on Child Development." Pediatric Journal, 30(4), 212-225.
Jones, B. et al. (2022). "Screen Time and Language Development in Young Children." Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 25(3), 134-147.
American Academy of Pediatrics. (2016). "Media and Young Minds." Pediatrics, 138(5), e20162591.
Canadian Paediatric Society. (2017). "Screen time and young children: Promoting health and development in a digital world." Paediatrics & Child Health, 22(8), 461-477.
Center on the Developing Child, Harvard University. (n.d.). "Five Numbers to Remember About Early Childhood Development." Retrieved from https://developingchild.harvard.edu/resources/five-numbers-to-remember-about-early-childhood-development/.
Learn more:
- Visit the First Words website at www.firstwords.ca.
- Check out our Module 7: The Impact of Screen Time on Language Development
- Follow us on Instagram at @firstwords_psl
- If you are concerned about your child's communication development, complete our First Words Communication Checkup online screening tool. It is free, quick and easy to use. You can screen, get results and refer if needed in one single activity.
- Call the Ottawa Public Health Information Line at (613) 580-6744.
Recognizing speech and language problems early on is the best approach!
Check out our First Words Communication Checkup tool to know if your child is meeting communication milestones. Refer online if necessary. For more information, visit www.firstwords.ca or call Ottawa Public Health at (613) PARENTS.
