In our ever-more virtual world, technology is an omnipresent feature of our daily lives, seamlessly blending with our routine. Our young children are no exception, having been born into a world where the screen is a ubiquitous and familiar feature of their everyday environment, every bit as familiar as a playground was to children of my own generation. Shifting our focus to how we can best maximise the benefits and minimise the harms of screen technology to children is the paramount task. This article will provide strategies for screen time management and outline evidence-based educational apps and other digital activities that, while offering fun, also provide much more than entertainment for our youngest users.

Understanding the Impact of Screen Time

Before we get into how, you might be wondering: why do we want to? Plenty of research has concluded that too much screen time can negatively impact children by leading to shorter periods of sleep, less physical activity and less opportunity for the development of social skills. Yet the same technology offers unprecedented interactive educational opportunities. By maintaining a sense of balance, we can use technology to amplify the best stuff while mitigating the worst.

Strategies for Managing Screen Time

Design a Family Media Plan: Set rules that work for your family (for example, times of day when it’s appropriate to be on a screen, appropriate content, and screen-free zones in the home, such as the dining room and bedrooms).

Lead by example: kids act the way they see their parents acting. They’ll copy what they see if they witness it all the time. Be mindful of your own device habits, particularly if kids are present.

Screen-Free Play: Let them play outside and play board games, even play with blocks just the two of them. This not only cuts back on screen time, but it also helps them build physical and social skills.

Make It a Shared Endeavour: Making screen time a joint activity closes it off as a solitary pursuit. Watch an edu­cational show or chat about an educational app: you don’t need to forbid the activity, just make it a shared experience and use it as an opportunity for discussion.

Educational Apps and Digital Activities

Is there ever a time when screen is anything but? Importantly though, not all screen time is created equal. Choosing learning-focused content and activities can transform screen time into an active learning hour. Below are four recommendations.

Khan Academy Kids: No ads, and free. This app features thousands of educational activities (such as reading, math, writing, listening and problem-solving) across multiple subjects for children aged 2 to 7.

For older kids, Duolingo is an excellent gamified resource for language learning that doesn’t require any materials on the learner’s end, available in more than 30 languages.

Space Place: A NASA website for kids that offers a mix of games, YouTube videos, and DIY activities.

ScratchJr: children learn coding by creating their own stories and games through a process of transforming pictured characters, props, and background to create narratives and interactive games; behaviour is programmed through a system of snapping together a series of playful ‘blocks’, strengthening both creativity and analytical thinking.

Epic!: Calling itself ‘Netflix for books’, with unlimited access for children 12 and under. These are just a few of the numerous digital tools now at our disposal to make reading more accessible and more fun.

Conclusion

We believe that positive screen time is about finding this balance, about putting limits on technology and setting clear guidelines, unplugging, and choosing educational and enriching content when technology enriches their lives. As we face this next era as a family, let’s embrace technology, yet remain vigilant about its perils and create a balanced, healthy environment for our children.