The hidden dangers of screen time
Is it really so bad letting your little one use your smartphone? We explain how too much time on tech affects your toddler ...
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Screens are part of all our lives these days – and the youngest children are no exception to this.
Research by industry body Ofcom suggests that under-three-year-olds are spending as much as four hours a day with tech, while increasingly even toddlers have their own tablets and smartphones.
There’s no doubt that little ones are enthralled and entertained by digital media – but whether gadgets are good for their development is another question. Here, we look into this and what you can do to ensure you get the tech balance right.
The downsides of children’s tech use
Studies have linked screen use by children with a range of negative effects, including:
1 Higher levels of obesity
It makes sense that the more hours children sit inactively in front of screens, the fewer they’ll spend running around burning off calories. In turn, this means the chances of them being overweight or obese are greater.
2 Reduced emotional intelligence and social skills
Intuitively, if children spend less time interacting with other people ‘offline’, they won’t be able to learn how to interact and understand them so well in person.
One study relevant to this, by researchers at UCLA, showed that children who undertook a five-day total tech ban fared better at reading others’ emotions afterwards compared to those who consumed tech as normal.
3 Disrupted sleep
The blue-white light that screens emit is associated with poorer sleep because it hampers our bodies’ ability to produce the sleep hormone melatonin. This applies to adults and children.
Additionally, if children watch, or play a game that's highly stimulating before bed, they’re likely to feel less relaxed and ready to nod off.
4 Less creative play
If children are always ‘fed’ something to do by a TV programme or app and have no time to make their own fun, they’ll be employing and developing their imaginations less.
Getting the balance right
Of course there are upsides to toddler screen time, too. Not least that they enjoy it. It can also give mums and dads a much-needed quiet spell – if that helps you to be a better parent the rest of the day, that’s no bad thing.
That said, many experts now advise strict time caps or no screen use at all for under-threes. Some parents do manage to ‘ban’ tech altogether – but if that isn’t for you, here’s how you can achieve balance.
- Decide on a time limit and stick to it.
- Think quality as well as quantity.
- Never give in to tantrums demanding more screen time.
- Avoid using gadgets as your default boredom-buster.
- Power down well before bedtime.
- Choose engrossing toys.
- Set a decent example!
Looking for screen-free ideas for things to do with your kids? Check out our ideas below, or chat to other parents in our forum.
Top riddles to keep your kids entertained
