The child experts seem to all agree – too much screen time is bad for kids. However, we're far beyond the question of whether or not a child should have any screen time. Devices are such a large part of our culture; kids are going to be exposed to them, despite your best efforts.
How much screen time is “okay” for kids, and even more importantly, how can you reduce screen time without a daily struggle? We've rounded up some creative strategies to help you set boundaries without the battle.
Doctors Recommend Limited Screen Time for Babies
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The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends very limited screen time for children less than two years old. Young children develop by experiencing the world, not sitting in front of a screen. Infants need interactions with others to build their social and cognitive skills. If you do let your under two-year-old have screen time, the AAP has the following suggestion: “We encourage you to select quality content and watch with them. Make this a fun family activity.”
Is All Screen Time Created Equal?
A recent review of existing studies revealed that different types of screen time were linked to different outcomes of children's behavior and development. For example, the authors found that children whose parents watched TV with them had higher cognitive abilities. On the other hand, background TV or letting children watch age-inappropriate content was linked to poorer cognitive outcomes.
Consider How Your Child Uses Digital Media, Not Just For How Long
The AAP used to recommend a certain amount of screen time for children based on their age. However, they've recently changed these guidelines. According to the AAP, “There isn’t enough evidence demonstrating a benefit from specific screen time limitation guidelines.”
Today, children use screens for many things, including school. The AAP suggests, “Rather than setting a guideline for specific time limits on digital media use, we recommend considering the quality of interactions with digital media and not just the quantity, or amount of time.”
7 Ideas to Help Reduce Screen Time
Research has shown that the families focusing on the following resulted in better well-being outcomes for children than those focusing on setting strict limits on screen time alone:
- Co-viewing
- Communication
- Balance
- Content
To help your family have a healthy balance of screen time and other activities, we've come up with some fun ways to keep your kids off their devices.
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1) Get Off Devices Yourself, and Give Kids Your Full Attention
Kids learn by watching the adults around them. If your head is buried in your phone, your child is likely to notice. After school or work, take some time to really engage face-to-face with your kids without any distracting devices.
2) Try Family Meals Without a Screen
Perhaps it's dinner time, or brunch, or whenever works for your family, but make some space or time in your home for a screen-free meal. Note, this rule applies to adults as well. You can make the experience more fun by letting the kids be involved in meal planning or prepping. Play music while you eat, or even let small kids bring a little toy to the table.
Keep it light and fun, and you may be surprised at the conversations you end up having with your kids when screens aren't on. If the weather is nice, have a picnic in the backyard, or eat outside on your patio for a change of pace.
3) Get Outside
This one goes without saying, but most of us don't get outside enough these days. Turn the screens off and take a walk around your neighborhood, or to the park. Go on a nature hunt, or collect leaves for a collage, or go on a bug walk to see how many different types of insects you can find.
4) Get Help From Friends
You don't have to be on your own when trying to reduce screen time. Plan a playdate with friends and arrange ahead of time to make it a screen-free playdate.
5) Go to Your Local Library
Libraries are a treasure trove of activities for families with children. Aside from finding books to bring home, most libraries have story time, children's activities, and play areas. If you haven't been to the library lately, check out your local library and find out what fun activities they may have for your family. Some libraries even offer activity kits you can check out for free, which is another great way to keep your kids busy without screens.
6) Pull Out the Board Games or a Deck of Cards
Play a board game, or even pull out a deck of cards and teach your kids games you may remember playing in your childhood. Some games you can play with a single deck of cards include Go Fish, War, and Crazy Eights.
7) Keep a Bin of Craft Supplies Available
You don't always have the time to entertain your kid, nor should you. It's okay to have your child engage in independent play. Keep a bin, a drawer, or a bag of craft supplies your child can use on their own. Add some creative things from around the house, such as buttons, fabric, pom poms, popsicle sticks, or bottle caps, to provide a sensory-rich experience.
You can also check out our list of 21 screen-free activities for more inspiration.
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