Setting screen time limits and finding screen time alternatives are SO important for our children! Please help your young children in ALL AREAS OF DEVELOPMENT with these ideas from a pediatric occupational therapist.
Screens are causing too much damage to our children!
Educators see increasing problems with behavior, attention, following directions, motor skills, and learning. To name a few!
Excessive screen use is a problem everywhere. There is so much to be concerned about regarding the amount of time spent on mobile devices and screens.
It’s negatively impacting the health of teens and adults. More importantly, we don’t yet know the long term damage to our young children. And the short term damage is already evident in kids.
Ask any preschool or elementary teacher.
Our Digital World and Society
Our world is constantly changing due to technological advances. Digital devices are everywhere providing us with quick communication, convenience, entertainment, and instant information at the tap of the screen.
Digital devices are in the hands of adults, teenagers, young children, and even very little children now.
They’re in many environments in our society where they never existed before. And they’ve made their way into our preschools and elementary schools.
This is a problem.
The increased use of screens in kids is extremely concerning to me as an occupational therapist. Young kids are spending way too much time on screens.
It’s disheartening when I see children on a phone or tablet in the grocery store, at a restaurant, at a sporting event, during a meal, before bedtime, during a short errand run in the car, or at a walk in the park in a stroller!!
And now I’m seeing an increased use with them in our schools.
Screen use negatively impacts children’s bodies, brains and nervous systems. Too much screen use can actually alter brain functioning and impede overall development.
This needs to change. Quickly! Before too much damage is done.
Let’s work together to tackle this new pandemic. We can all do our part to decrease screen use in children! Help others find screen time alternatives for kids.
Negative Effects of Excessive Screen Time and Use of Digital Devices With Teens and Young Adults
Studies show that excessive time spent on digital devices impacts sleep, physical health, regulation, thought processes, and mental health in teens, young adults, and adults.
Back pain, eye strain, headaches, hand overuse, and neck strain are common physical discomforts.
The position and extra weight of the head looking down at a cell phone impacts posture and can actually reverse the natural curve in the neck.
This position, termed “tech neck” or “text neck syndrome” also affects the level of alertness in the autonomic nervous system.
An excessive forward head posture can in turn contribute to or exacerbate mental stress, depression, and anxiety AND it alters sensorimotor control.
These neurological and chemical changes in the brain are more concerning than just physical discomforts.
Effects of Excessive Screen Time and Use of Digital Devices With Babies, Toddlers, and Young Children
So, if so many studies are showing the negative impacts of screens on young people and adults, so why are we encouraging the use of them in babies, toddlers, preschoolers, and young children?
Do we want to cause them neck pain, headaches, and eye strain? Are we helping children develop if we allow screens to negatively impact their nervous system functions? And their sensorimotor control?
Do we want the fast paced input from the screen to impact their attention and mental health when we’re educating them?
A young child’s brain and nervous system rapidly develop during this critical phase of life.
The increased screen time in young children and even babies is absolutely terrifying to me as a mother and occupational therapist!
Jane Tavyev Asher, MD shares a great article on How Screen Time Affects Children’s Developing Brains.
Screen alternatives need to be a priority for parents and educators. We need to shift away from these bad habits that are hindering development, growth, and learning in our children.
Proper non-screen opportunities for children allow for basic skill development in the brain and body. Following and respecting development is important to lay the foundation for lifelong learning, well-being, and overall functioning.
Screen Use in Children Affects ALL Areas of Development
Screen use in kids is not healthy academically, physically, socially, and mentally.
Excessive screen use in young children interferes with all areas of brain development:
- learning
- executive function
- problem-solving
- sensory integration
- self-regulation
- sleep
- attention
- following directions
- behavior
- communication
- social skills
- sensorimotor skills
- gross motor skills
- fine motor skills
- visual skills
- creativity
- thinking
- coping skills
- patience
- emotional development
If screen use is impacting ALL areas of development, why are parents and educators using it so often?!
Finding screen time alternatives and proper developmental opportunities are extremely important for basic skill development in young children. This will lay the foundation for lifelong learning.
PLEASE help kid our children back on track.
Below, I discuss how screens impact several different areas of development. NON-SCREEN alternative ideas follow in each developmental area.
Use this table of contents as needed to guide you through this information:
- Impact of Screens on Children’s Cognitive Development
- Screen Use and Sensory Processing Difficulties
- How Screen Use Causes Difficulties with Attention Skills and Behavior in Children
- Excessive Screen Time & the Negative Impact on Communication and Social Skills
- Declining Gross Motor Skills and Fine Motor Development from Screen Time in Children
- How Screen Time is Robbing Children from Creativity
- Impact of Screens on Children’s Visual Perceptual Skill Development
- Emotional Development and Coping Skills Difficulties from Screen Use
1) How Screens Impact Cognitive Development & Learning in Kids
Young children’s brains develop very rapidly. The first five years of a child’s life are critical for creating strong learning pathways in the brain.
However, sensory and motor systems continue to develop after the first five years that support learning, behaving, and attending.
Children of all ages learn best through play, exploration, using all of the senses, and interacting with the world around them.
Active learning, play and project based learning are great ways for children to develop problem-solving skills, executive function skills, and independence through self-initiated activities. These are so important for cognitive development!
Kids brain gain so much more input when using more parts of the body. They experience textures, shapes, movement, weight, and position in space. And they gain motor feedback for learning.
So many teachers express concerns with the lack of basic problem-solving skills and independent thinking. True stories in several THIRD GRADERS with simple problem-solving tasks:
- Unable to figure out how to turn a piece of paper to fit it into a take-home folder (student told the teacher “it doesn’t fit!”)
- Unsure of how to fix a peeling label with a piece of tape (student stares at teacher for help)
- Once solution is discussed, student is unable to remove the tape from the dispenser and unsure of how to position it on the peeling label!
These difficulties happen everywhere. In all socioeconomic situations when screens are used excessively.
Studies have discussed the impact of screen use on attention and even the ability to think clearly. Additionally, neuroscience research shows that children retain information better from a book or print rather than a screen.
Screen Time Alternatives to Support Cognitive Development and Learning
Preschool and kindergarten classrooms should be developmentally based and NOT academically driven.
And they definitely should NOT be using iPads or tablets as learning modalities. I’m seeing this increase in some schools and it really concerns me. This is not an appropriate environment to add more screen time.
Learning and cognitive development should occur through play-based learning, project-based learning, arts and crafts, and other non-screen activities. Active participation should be a natural part of a child’s school day.
Preschool and school age children benefit cognitively from frequent opportunities for movement and brain breaks in order to keep them engaged and improve attention and focus.
Classroom learning centers should offer a variety of activities for the whole body and nervous system. Hands on activities such as math manipulatives help to improve retention of concepts.
Auditory activities help with listening skills, following directions and to strengthen skills needed for reading. Plenty of hands-on visual activities support skills needed for reading and math.
Please encourage all parents and educators to use screen alternatives to support cognitive development. Keep kids playing and learning through multiple senses to maximize their learning potential – without screen use!
JAMA pediatrics shared a study that showed screen time being linked to reduced brain development in children. MRI’s revealed that learning and development SLOWED down when children use screens excessively.
Sounds pretty counterproductive, right?
Help your children learn best by naturally engaging more parts of their body. This strengthens learning pathways in the brain.
2) Sensory Processing, Self-Regulation, and Sleep Difficulties in Kids From Excessive Screen Time
Our brains constantly take in and process information inside and outside of our bodies at rapid speeds. In order to self-regulate our bodies and emotions, we need to sleep well and process sensory input well.
Studies show the impact of screens on sleep. If our kids in schools aren’t sleeping well at night, they’re not able process sensory input efficiently to pay attention, which impacts learning.
Additionally, many studies have mentioned the effects of radiation on humans. One particular study discussed the thickness of an adult’s skull and how it can block and filter some of the radiation around us from screens.
Babies, toddlers, and children up to age 7 have thinner skulls and their ear canals are smaller. Children can’t filter the Radio Frequency Electro Magnetic Fields (RF-EMF) to protect their RAPIDLY developing brain.
This can significantly interfere with the function of the central nervous system. Additionally, many studies indicate the risk of cancer with RF-EMF exposure.
Screen Alternatives to Support Sensory Processing
Screen time alternatives to support sensory processing, self-regulation, and sleep are easy! Get kids moving through sensory play, physical activity, movement, and outdoor play.
At home or in schools, proprioceptive heavy work activities have powerful effects on the nervous system. Giving input to the muscles and joints improves focus and attention and helps with self-regulation.
Simple changes in position, such as working at a vertical surface or playing and learning while lying on the floor, also helps kids’ bodies and nervous systems.
Core strength exercises help with good sitting posture and balance. A stable core supports the position of the neck for increased attention.
Vestibular input from balance and movement activities helps direct the nervous system, which also supports visual development.
Deep pressure activities are calming and organizing for the nervous system. When provided throughout the day, they help kids improve self-regulation and sleep.
Oral sensory activities are also important for a child’s ability to self-regulate.
Finally, providing flexible seating options at home or in the classroom also supports sensory processing and self-regulation.
3) Screen Time Impact on Attention and Behavior in Kids
Screens are greatly impacting attention and behavior in children. Screen time alternatives are especially important in helping children behave better.
If a child gets too dependent on screens and too used to the fast-paced input, real world learning and play becomes boring for them. Reality becomes too slow and lacks excitement.
Children tend to hyper-focus on shows or video games. They lose total awareness of what’s happening around them.
Sadly, I’ve had teachers say that they think their students would pay more attention to them during instruction if they recorded themselves and played it back on the Smart Board. Why have we gotten to this point with our children?
Excessive screen use makes it difficult for kids to fully pay attention to people. And, it makes them have difficulty following directions.
This makes school extremely challenging for the students and the teachers! And it adds an extra challenge to parents.
Screen dependency impacts behavior.
Some children don’t know how to behave in public or at a restaurant without a screen. They’ve become addicted at an early age!
Furthermore, kids become all wound up after watching a fast paced screen.
Too much screen time impacts a child’s mood because of the lack of movement. It’s sedentary and mindless time that does not give the child’s body and nervous system the sensory input it needs to function properly.
Moreover, screens give young children instant gratification. Children get to watch a show, video or hear a song the second they want it. It’s immediately available.
Instant gratification impacts kids’ ability to wait and be patient. These are important life skills that need to be practiced at home, in the community and in schools. They significantly impact behavior.
Screen Alternatives to Support Improved Attention and Behavior
Good behavior and improved attention and focus in kids results from a variety of movement and independent play activities throughout the day.
(The screen time alternatives shared in the previous section are all very powerful ways to improve attention and behavior. They provide a child’s body and brain with natural input it needs to prevent attention and behavior problems.)
In addition, outdoor activities, gross motor play, motor coordination activities, and indoor physical activities provide children with sensory input that helps with behavior and attention.
Taking walks, going to the playground or park, sand box play, and riding a bike or scooter are a great way to give movement and physical activity. Yard games, ball activities, or scavenger hunts are fun ways for kids to play outdoors as well.
Using alerting sensory strategies during daily routines improves attention and focus in kids. (As well as the brain breaks and other sensory activities listed in the previous two sections.)
Calming sensory activities can be used as well to give children proprioceptive input.
Indoor activities that improve attention and focus are arts and crafts, building toys and structures, card games, and board games. Creativity in the kitchen can be encouraged by baking, preparing a snack, or making a small simple dish.
When playing cards or games, coping skills can be practiced to help with behaviors in small and large groups. These activities help a child learn how to take turns, wait, be patient, and learn to lose well. These are very important skills that help with emotional regulation and behavior.
The post educational toys and games contains great examples of kid toys and games that improve focus and build other important developmental skills.
Easy screen time alternatives in a restaurant: conversation, coloring, books, drawing, visual motor activities, and taking time to eat!
4) How Screens Interfere With Communication and Social Skills in Children
Studies are showing an increase in language delays in children who spend more time in front of a screen.
Children may learn some language concepts via an app. However, language can easily be and SHOULD BE naturally embedded into a child’s entire day!
A language-rich environment will support communication skills in children of all ages. A newborn looks at a caregiver and “talks” back and forth through cooing and smiling.
With face to face and serve and return interactions, babies learn non-verbal communication. They tune into the people around them and pick up on social cues such as facial expressions and body language.
Making eye contact and having conversations with children builds a strong foundation for communication skills. Children watch, hear, listen, and learn language. Language develops through conversations, books, rhymes, singing, reading, and playing music.
This continues to be important for preschool and school age children.
However, I often see many early childhood programs play an increasing amount of videos throughout the day.
Additionally, I’ve seen many kindergarten and school-age classes continue to use videos for learning lessons (well after the pandemic when the teacher is sitting off to the side and not fully engaging and interacting with the students.)
Or as I previously mentioned, the kids each have their own device as part of their school programming. This passive viewing removes all opportunities for social interaction and communication.
Additionally, too much visual input overstimulates the visual system. This takes away input that the auditory system should receive when learning which impacts social skills and language development.
Screen time alternatives are so important for communication and social skills.
Screen Alternative Activities to Improve Communication and Social Interaction
Building communication, language, and social skills through screen time alternatives is crucial!
Preschool classrooms and school age classrooms have multiple opportunities for building communication and social skills. Learning should occur with face to face interactions and conversational feedback from others.
Songs, rhymes, physical books, and audio books continue to build language skills for children.
Games, finger-plays and songs during circle time build so many language skills. (More effective if led by an adult in front of them, not one on a screen!)
Our children will develop important communication and social skills through teacher led activities, small group activities, board games, and hands-on learning projects.
Another simple and great way to build communication skills is adding sharing time to the day. Kids can turn to a peer or group of peers at a table and share a topic or question presented by the teacher.
At home, make sure the family has frequent screen free time for conversation. The dinner table is the best place to communicate and improve social skills.
Please don’t ever allow screens for children during meals. This is important family time to bond and communicate. Kids will also learn to sit and attend, use patience, manners, and take turns talking during meals.
Additionally, they will eat more mindfully to help support feeling full and help moderate their intake.
5) Impact of Screen Use on Gross Motor Development and Fine Motor Skills
A child’s brain gains an incredible amount of input from coordinating various parts of the body at the same time. This activates more parts of the brain.
Cells that fire together, wire together! When kids play and participate in multi-sensory learning activities, they strengthen pathways in the brain needed for learning.
Screen use is often sedentary and does not require much movement or use from the body. Pediatricians are concerned regarding screen time use and its correlation to obesity.
In addition, as mentioned at the beginning of this article, screens impact posture and neck position. Kids are often slumped with a rounded back and neck.
This interferes with the body brain connection, negatively impacting sensorimotor development.
Screen Time Alternatives to Improve Gross Motor Skills and Fine Motor Skill Development
All basic motor skills lead to learning.
Screen time alternatives build foundational gross motor and fine motor skills.
Core strength, sensory development, and basic gross motor skills are gained through movement and physical play. Additionally, proper seated posture during fine motor activities supports the proper developmental sequence that kids need for success in school with basic motor activities.
Encourage participation in hand-eye coordination activities, physical outdoor games, gross motor coordination activities, as well as indoor gross motor games.
For example, gross motor games can include throwing or rolling a ball to a target, kicking a ball, climbing a structure, jumping on a target, balancing on a curb, or riding a bike on a path.
Gross and fine motor play activities help children develop bilateral coordination and crossing midline skills.
Crossing the midline should naturally and developmentally happen around age two but I see numerous school age kindergarten through third grade students who don’t automatically cross the midline.
Midline crossing activities help improve the communication of both sides of the brain for learning.
Many kids lack hand strength in preschool and kindergarten. Play opportunities should focus on hand strength and finger dexterity in order to support grasp development and pre-writing skills.
Find toys and games that support fine motor development as well as simple craft activities that improve fine motor skills and creativity.
6) Excessive Screen Use and Its Impact on Creativity in Children
Children don’t know how to feel bored anymore. There’s a societal expectation that every minute of a child’s day should be filled with structure.
(The Lost Art of Boredom: How Screen Time is Killing Our Kids’ Creativity shares a great story from an artist.) He state’s in the article:
“We’re not just parents anymore; we’re memory keepers. Every time we say no to the easy fix of screen time, we’re preserving something precious: our children’s capacity for wonder, for creativity, for deep thought.”
Kids today aren’t experiencing boredom and downtime. It’s sadly not a part of their daily routines. They don’t use their imaginations like we used to during play.
And with technology, this problem is worsening.
Too many techy toys, as well as screens, take away from creativity and imagination during play. Technology does not allow for problem-solving and the development of executive function skills. (Refer back to the stories in the cognitive section.)
Too many kids expect to be told and shown exactly what to do without leaving any room for their own thoughts and ideas.
Additionally, independence during play supports not only creativity and thinking skills, but also confidence and self-esteem!
Screen Time Alternatives to Improve Creativity
Creativity is crucial for brain development. Play enhances creativity which strengthens neural connections for learning. Creativity through play enhances problem-solving, executive function skills, and enhances memory.
Screen time alternatives to build creativity include outdoor play, nature, and various types of indoor play activities. They’re crucial for a child’s brain development. Children need downtime so that they can fill boredom with simple brain boosting activities.
Outdoor and nature activities are a great way to support emotional and physical development, as well as creativity when exploring.
Reading, drawing, painting, writing, etc are invaluable for children to support creativity.
Encourage kids to use their own hands and thoughts to build structures with blocks, Legos, or other STEAM toys. Offer fingerpaint, playdoh, painting, drawing, and crafts as part of the learning process.
In addition, children can use creativity to build a scene out of a book, build a fort, make a house out of an old box, set up a dollhouse, make up a card game, create a small garden, make and decorate a snack or dessert.
Embed opportunities for pretend play or role playing. Examples include activities such as dressing up for a theme day, using figurines to act out parts of a book, or role playing parts of books and stories.
7) Excessive Screen Use and Its Negative Affect on Visual Development and Visual-Perceptual Skills in Kids
Our visual systems are very complex. A child’s eyes need to take in information near and far, at different speeds, and in various locations. This supports the entire visual system.
Our brains and nervous systems function on a use it or lose it basis.
The visual system develops best through a variety of indoor and outdoor play. Far vision is strengthened when outdoors or in large spaces.
Excessive screen time can cause the visual system to become overstimulated. It’s constant input for the eyes at very rapid speeds. Too much input for one area of the brain can create imbalances.
Additionally, blue light naturally comes from the sun and is alerting for our nervous systems. But blue light from screens causes digital eye strain, headaches, and watery, dry, or blurry eyes. We don’t yet know the long term damage to the eyes from screen use in young children. I’m afraid of what those studies will show.
Visual perceptual skills are developed in the brain as children manipulate objects and interact with the world around them. A wooden puzzle offers much more input to a child’s body and brain vs. a puzzle on an app!
Skill Development Example: Visual Perceptual Skill Development on a Puzzle App vs. Using a Wooden Puzzle
Scenario One: A child is playing a visual perceptual puzzle game on a small screen, gently sliding a finger across the screen to approximately match a shape to its outline. The app is built for child success, so accuracy does not have to be perfect. The child slides the shape around the screen and when it gets close to the proper outline, it magically slides in. Immediate feedback is given. The brain does not have to think or problem-solve as much.
Scenario Two: A child is holding a wooden shape with the tips of the fingers. The arm is suspended against gravity in the air as the eyes scan the large puzzle board to find the match. The match is located visually. The child’s core and shoulder remain stable as the forearm, wrist and fingertips turn and rotate and work together in order to get the shape to fit accurately. The child carefully uses precise movements, motor feedback and problem solving to properly place the puzzle piece.
What a big difference! You can see which scenario is firing more parts of the brain. (Without the damaging blue light, radiation, and excess visual stimulation from the screen.)
Add this to scenario two: the child finds an incorrect puzzle match at first. The child has to figure out that the shape won’t fit after multiple trials and has to scan the puzzle for another match.
The added movements and work for the brain will strengthen memory and learning when the correct match is found. The child will be rewarded with success internally. Not from an app that quickly rewarded an approximate match.
Screen time alternatives are a necessity in order to prevent overstimulation to the visual system and damage to the eyes.
Improve Visual Skills with Screen Time Alternatives
Children’s far vision develops through outdoor play experiences and play in large open spaces. It’s absolutely necessary for children to see near and far during daily routines and activities.
Children use their eyes all day. It’s important we provide them with a balance of visual activities during play and learning.
Screen time alternatives for the visual system are not strictly limited to just visual activities.
Offer vestibular activities to support eye muscle development. Specific balance and movement activities help improve visual skills.
Basic visual skills activities support academic skills. They’re important building blocks for pre-reading and pre-math skills.
Movement play and independent exploration helps depth perception develop in children. In addition, playing with moving objects such as a ball, cars, balloons, bubbles, or bean bags, helps with visual tracking skills.
Development of visual-perceptual skills occurs during hands on play. Building with structures, completing puzzles, playing card games and playing board games support visual perceptual skills that kids need for learning. These skills continue to develop through the elementary years.
Gross motor play, fine motor play, and manipulating toys and objects teaches children about an object’s form, size, shape, and position. It also teaches them about distance and depth perception.
8) Screen Time Impact on Emotional Development and Coping Skills in Children
We are all human beings. We’re meant to connect with other people.
Children, especially, need the emotional connection with a caregiver or an adult or a teacher. They need to know they are important, loved, and valued.
This helps with feelings of self-worth and security. Parenting and teaching face to face with less screen time allows us to give genuine and quality feedback to our children.
Several studies in pediatric journals around the globe have discussed correlations of screen use with depression and anxiety in children (as well as sleep problems and obesity.) One in particular from the American Psychological Association, shares the vicious circle of screen use and emotional problems in kids.
As adults, we need to be good role models at home and in school.
Make sure you limit your own screen time and social media use so that you can be emotionally connected to your children! They need you the most.
And we can set up the environment with limits to screen time.
Kids develop coping skills when they learn to work through problems, learn to wait, and learn to be patient.
Frequent pacifying and babysitting using screens interferes with coping skills. Social and emotional skills develop through group cooperation games, play-based learning, games, and mindful activities such as art projects.
Assessing Children’s Screen Time Use at Home and in Educational Settings
Screens and digital devices are no longer just at home. I’ve been so worried about excessive use with digital devices in homes and communities, but now they’re also in growing numbers of preschools and schools. This digital world that’s evolving scares me.
Child development and the natural developmental sequence has not changed, and it won’t. But WE are allowing interference and disruption to this natural process.
Adding too much technology too soon is not setting kids up for proper growth, development, and success.
Babies, toddlers and young children stare at screens everywhere. Preschoolers and kindergarten students are completing “learning” activities and lessons on them.
I see second grade students and older children hunched over laptops with their faces inches from the screens. This sadly replaces opportunities for hands on learning centers.
They complete morning work, reading, math, science and social studies lessons, or they take quizzes or tests. I’ve even seen younger school-age kids on them during lunch or outdoor recess!!
The occupational therapist in me wants to shout out to the world! We need to cut back on screen use at home and in schools before we cause more damage.
It’s really important to look at the reasons why screens are frequently placed in front of our young children.
Let’s work together to decrease screen time in our children. The first step is assessing how much your kids are spending time on screens.
Assessing Screen Time at Home and Tips for Parents
From a parent perspective, offering a screen turns into a convenient and easy way to entertain, pacify, avoid a meltdown, or to get your child to eat.
As a mother of 3, I get it!
However, it’s important to step back and ask: Does your child really NEED the screen, or are they just getting used to having it all the time during their routines?
Stop and think about who is training who?! Are you really teaching, guiding and training your child if they get to call the shots all the time?
Are there more important developmental skills you can build (like ALL of the ones we discussed so far in this article!)
I like to remind adults that children were raised for centuries without screens! They learned to be patient, listen, behave, eat, and occupy their time with independent and creative play. Their foundational academic skills were built through play and everyday interactions and conversations.
Parents, join the new movement, Wait Until 8th. Delay giving a smartphone to your child until the end of 8th grade. At the least!
Kids do not need all this extra screen time. They’ll actually learn to behave better without it! Teachers and administrators will thank you.
When you play with, interact with, and spend quality time with your child, put your phone away and take off your watch!
Unplug and give yourself needed tech breaks as well.
Enjoy being present and mindful!
Assessing Screen Time in Schools
Technology is a part of our world, so schools are trying to keep up. But are we spending our money wisely on devices for young children? Does it really invest in the learning process and does it improve test scores?
Did the pandemic cause us all to slip into some bad habits with increased use of screens?
Teachers continue to press play and sit to the side of the room, completely removing themselves from the learning process. Some have yet to go back to their effective in-person lessons.
When we remove the teacher, remove the hands-on learning, remove the listening and following directions, remove the waiting, and take away the peer interaction, what does it do? Does it help our young children’s developing brains and bodies?
In educational settings, I strongly encourage preschool, kindergarten, and first through fourth grade teachers to avoid screens entirely during learning. Kids get enough screen time elsewhere. (Until we can get all parents on board!)
Administrators in some schools have placed devices in the hands of EVERY student.
Great teachers who love using multi-sensory learning opportunities are now forced to use iPads or tablets as part of learning. The difference is obvious to them. They’re frustrated. Because they see the damage that is being done to the children.
In short, development has not changed and it won’t. Our educational programs need to provide developmentally appropriate opportunities for learning. Ones that don’t cause further damage to children.
Tips for Teachers Regarding Screen Use in Schools
Teachers, please check your lesson plans and look at the amount of time you have screens as part of your daily schedule. Please remove all or as much of the scheduled time as you can remove.
If you are stuck using them, please limit the time to the best of your ability. Pick certain days of the week to use them, and gradually reduce it if you can.
If you need to use devices, my biggest tip as an occupational therapist for you: have children lie on their bellies on the floor. Prop the screen in front of them to keep the neck up. Students also should place hands on the floor to work on upper body strength.
This at least keeps their necks in a better position and it builds neck, upper back, and shoulder strength and stability needed for good posture. Plus, they receive calming pressure input from the floor.
Talk to your administrators about child development and how screens are negatively affecting learning.
Whether at home or at school, young children’s bodies need to move, play, explore, and interact with the world around them! Learning occurs best through natural everyday experiences during everyday routines for children.
Multi-sensory learning opportunities significantly improve brain functioning. They create a strong foundation for a child’s brain and nervous system. In the critical early years of development, it’s important to create strong pathways in the brain. This gives a proper foundation for development and best supports lifelong learning and growth.
Please fine screen time alternatives during learning.
Physical Activity Guidelines & Screen Time Recommendations and Limits for Children
Part of assessing too much screen time is also knowing the recommendations so that you can limit use or schedule specific times for tech use. New rules for your classroom and homes will create good habits that highly benefit children.
Physical Activity Guidelines for Kids
The World Health Organization (WHO) shares guidelines on movement and physical activity for kids of various ages. Children should engage in active play every day! Below is part of their guidelines
- Babies less than 1 year need a variety of activity and floor-based play, should spend at least 30 minutes per day on the tummy, and should not be restricted (in what I like to call ‘baby containers’) for more than an hour at a time
- Children 1-2 years: at least 180 minutes of physical activity throughout the day
- Ages 3-4 years: at least 180 minutes of physical activity with at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity (more is better!)
- Children 5 and older: 2 hours or more of physical activity each day
Screen Use Guidelines for Children
The American Academy of Pediatrics shares recommendations regarding screen time and digital media use:
- No screen time (or limited amounts of time) until the age of two (NO screen time is BEST!)
- Video chat with family members after 18 months is permitted; this can encourage back and forth communication
- Between 2 and 5: one hour of screen time per day with other periods of sedentary play (without a screen)
- During screen time, add interactive time with your child (watch a show with them, talk about it)
- Read books and/or tell stories with a caregiver (once daily for a one year old)
- Encourage specific amounts of active play and physical activity
- Adequate amounts of sleep
The guidelines used to say no more than 2 hours of screens per day for children ages 5 and older. This is a great rule to still follow! (However, I’m wondering if it’s difficult for them to specify because it contradicts what is happening in most schools??!)
HealthyChildren.org has a family media plan and guide to help create media rules for the home for various age groups.
Additionally, use parental controls to set a daily limit of screen time. You can also set app limits on your child’s device.
Please do your part in reducing screen use in young children! Share this post with your family, friends, educators, and/or colleagues.
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Editor’s Note: This post has been modified, updated, and revamped from it’s original content.
