Screen Time for Pre-Schooler’s

Appropriate screen time for children is a widely debated topic today. There are many different perspectives, all coming from various sources and influences. In our quickly developing technological world, it has become of concern to many people, how much time children should spend on an iPhone, tablets, watching TV and playing video games. I wrote this paper for my developmental psychology course with the aim to give my audience a clear understanding of how screen time affects young children.

According to the World Health Organization, children under the age of 1, should not be allowed any screen time, and from 2-4 years old, they should only be allowed 1 hour of screen time a day (Rueb, 2019, pg. 1). There is significant research that shows that at the pre-school age, brain development is very significant. Their bodies and minds are constantly growing, which means that physical activity, attention skills, and cognitive development are all important factors to take into account when considering screen time and how much one should allow their child to be zone into their technology. Screen time has shown to be detrimental to the physical, psychosocial, and cognitive development of preschoolers and can be linked to addiction and unresponsiveness as they get older (Hinkley & McCann, 2018, pg. 1). Often times parents think that children get enough physical movement from their natural activities but the increase in screen time limits how much they get outside and move (Hinkley & McCann, 2018, pg. 2). Time spent on a screen prevents children from necessary outside exposure, exploration, and seeing the world from their own eyes. 

            Unfortunately, screens are often used as a way to distract kids and keep them occupied for long periods of time. There is some research that shows that significant benefits for cognitive skills related to school readiness if programs are watch frequently (Baydar, Kagitcibasi, Kuntay, & Goksen, 2008, pg. 359). Those children, especially those from low-income communities where opportunities for education may be limited, tend to show improved literacy, arithmetic skills, syllabification, and vocabulary, all of which help their cognitive development (Baydar, et. al., 2008, pg. 359). It is seen as a potential tool to be used in order to help those children be as school ready as possible. This being said, there is enough research out there today that shows that children benefit best from little to no screen time so that they can develop strong physical cognitive capabilities that will help them with real world experiences they will encounter over their lifetime. 

Works Cited

Baydar, N., Kağitçibaşi, Ç., Küntay, A. C., & Gökşen, F. (2008). Effects of an educational television program on preschoolers: Variability in benefits. Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 29(5), 349–360. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appdev.2008.06.005

Hinkley, T., & McCann, J. R. (2018). Mothers’ and father’s perceptions of the risks and benefits of screen time and physical activity during early childhood: a qualitative study. BMC Public Health, 18(1), 1271. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-018-6199-6

Rueb, E.S., (2019). W.H.O. says limited or no screen time for children under 5. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/24/health/screen-time-kids.html