How to Make Screen Time Work for Toddlers
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We live in a screen-based world, and it’s only natural that our kids — even at very young ages — are engaging more and more with technology, especially tablets and smartphones. While doctors continue to recommend zero screen time for children under 2, the reality is that parents report that 40% of kids that age have used a mobile device (and the true number is likely higher).
“Screens are part of the fabric of people’s lives these days,” Claire Lerner, director of strategic initiatives at Zero to Three, a non-profit that promotes the healthy development and wellbeing of young children and their families, tells Yahoo Parenting. “And while there’s robust research that unequivocally shows that interaction in the real world is the best way to learn, there are also ways to make screen time work for young children.”
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Lerner is a lead author on a new “Screen Sense” report released this week, and she shares her research-based guidelines for optimal screen-time use for young children with Yahoo Parenting:
Provide Context
Think about a baby toy, like a shape sorter: If you put it in front of a 9-month-old, she’ll explore it to see what she can do, but with a caregiver next to her, the toy becomes a real tool for learning. “If you help her problem solve to fit shapes in holes, open and close it, fill it and dump it, she’ll take more from the experience,” says Lerner, who adds that the same is true with electronics. “If there’s a child in front of a show or app about counting, that’s about rote memorization — it doesn’t have meaning until children apply that knowledge to the real world.”
Lerner recommends helping your kids apply the show or app’s teachings. “You can walk around the neighborhood later and count the houses on the way to a play date with a friend,” she says, or you can relate a passing dog to the story of a dog on the show you watched.
Monitor Content
Keeping a watchful eye on content may seem like a no-brainer, but it doesn’t just mean making sure your toddler isn’t streaming R-rated movies. “The negative impacts of impassive screen use are largely based on inappropriate use,” says Lerner. That could mean a 2-year-old watching a too-complex cartoon, like SpongeBob SquarePants. “It’s totally fantastical and does not reflect their real life experiences,” says Lerner. “When you show content that mirrors a young child’s reality — a character on a playground, eating meals with a family, or looking at animals in the park — they can take it in in a more meaningful way.” Although studies have found that screen time for young children can have negative impacts on language and cognition, relatable, appropriate content minimizes these negative impacts, affirms Lerner.
Practice Mindful Screen Time
In other words: Don’t use screens as a babysitter. Of course, it happens from time to time, Lerner acknowledges. “Parents are on screens a lot of the time, so it makes sense for kids to be curious and want to do it too,” she says. “But when you allow it, make sure you’re engaged.”
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Lerner points out that ebooks, especially, can be confusing for parents to navigate, because although they seem great, they often include aspects that are distracting for young kids. “The power of a book is in the story,” says Lerner. “So you want to avoid the interactive diversions that happen in the middle of the narrative.” All the bells and whistles of ebooks, in other words, amount to the same as reading a traditional book to your child, then stopping mid-page and saying, “Oh! Look at the cat jumping over there!” It takes everyone out of the story.
“You want your kids to stay focused and process the information to put two and two together,” explains Lerner. “So just read it like you would a book.” After you’ve gone through the whole story, make the game aspects —buzzing bees and blinking lights, etc — a separate endeavor.
The Limiting Factor
The crux of the screen-time issue, says Lerner, is limiting it. “That’s the single most challenging thing for the parents I talk to,” she says. “A lot of parents tell me their child is ‘addicted’ to the iPad.” What they really mean, Lerner clarifies, is that when they take the tablet away, their kid has a tantrum. “Parents are busy and stressed and the iPad and phones are engaging and intriguing for kids,” she says. “It’s so tempting to hand it over to them for way too much time.” But setting a limit is key.
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The next time that half hour of screen time is up and your child starts to scream and yell, Lerner suggests saying, “I know you’re disappointed that I’m taking the iPad away, but that’s our rule. Being upset is okay. When you’re done, let me know because I need help with this puzzle.” Then move on to something else and hold firm. “Kids adapt,” says Lerner. “If you set the limit lovingly and calmly while validating their feelings, they’ll learn quickly that they can either be upset by themselves or do something fun with a parent. They’ll choose fun eventually.”
