Impact of Digital Media and Screen on Children
With screens now integral to childhood, we unpack the latest research on their impact, where they support learning, where they hinder growth, and how parents can strike a balance.
Effect of Digital Media and Screens on Children: How It Impacts Development in Adolescents
Young children learn about their world through a variety of sources, including books, play, and increasingly, digital media. Given the way the world is heading, it is detrimental to try to limit or ban children's use of digital media. However, due to the rapid pace of technological transformation, our understanding of the effects of screens and digital media on child development remains very nascent. In this article, we will explore what the latest research tells us.
Understanding Digital Media
Digital media includes a wide variety of digital devices and platforms, such as television, computers, smartphones, and tablets. Each type of device can influence young children’s development in different ways, and some are more suitable for specific age groups than others. For instance, educational television programs can offer positive learning experiences for preschool children. At the same time, mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets may pose more challenges due to their portability and constant accessibility. The quality and content of screen media are also crucial—high-quality educational programming can support learning, while mainstream or commercial programs may not provide the same benefits. Resources like Common Sense Media help parents evaluate which screen media options are most appropriate for their children, making it easier to choose content that supports healthy development and learning.
Early Childhood and Screen Time
Early childhood is a vital stage for cognitive, social, and emotional growth, and the way young children spend their time can have lasting effects. Young children are constantly observing and learning from the environment around them. The learning process allows children to apply what they have observed to their own lives and experiences. For example, a child who reads a story about washing hands might become interested in a scene where children wash mud off their hands while discussing germs. This child might then imitate this behaviour by helping dolls wash their hands during playtime. This ability to transfer learning from one context to another is essential for cognitive growth and is known as the transfer of learning. Importantly, a child's earliest screen encounters can shape their exposure patterns and influence later development, affecting cognitive, social, and emotional outcomes.
Research highlights that even very young children, as early as six months old, can imitate simple movements and actions they have seen on television or digital devices like tablets and mobile devices. They can reproduce these actions immediately after watching and up to 24 hours later. By 18 months, toddlers can remember brief sequences from television or books, and by age two, they can recall these sequences for up to a month. However, despite these impressive capabilities, young children learn more effectively from real-life experiences that involve interaction with people and objects rather than from screen media alone. This phenomenon, known as the transfer deficit, means that early screen media exposure may not translate into real-world learning as effectively as direct interaction does, and can have long-term impacts on cognitive, language, and social-emotional development.
Children under 2 years of age learn best through hands-on activities, such as playing with toys, exploring their environment, and engaging in face-to-face interaction with caregivers and peers. Excessive screen time during these formative years can interfere with language development, limit opportunities for problem-solving, and reduce social interaction. The American Academy of Pediatrics advises that children younger than 18 to 24 months should avoid screen time, except for video chatting, to encourage healthy development. Instead, parents and caregivers should focus on providing opportunities for physical activity, creative play, and meaningful social engagement, all of which are essential for building strong language skills and supporting early childhood development.
Dangers of Excessive Screen Time
Screen time refers to the amount of time young children spend using digital devices such as smartphones, tablets, televisions, and computers. In today’s technology-driven world, screen time has become a regular part of daily routines for many families. However, research shows that excessive screen time can have adverse effects on child development, particularly in areas like language development, attention span, and physical health. For example, spending too much time on digital devices has been linked to delayed language skills and an increased risk of obesity in young children. Studies have shown that children who watch a lot of television may perform poorly on reading tests and show deficits in attention.
Age Group Considerations
Screen time needs and risks vary across different age groups, making it important for parents and caregivers to tailor their approach. It is recommended that children aged 2 to 5 years have no more than one hour per day of high-quality screen time. For children under 18 to 24 months, screen time should be avoided altogether, except for video chatting. As children grow older, especially into school age and adolescence, they require more guidance to ensure that screen time does not interfere with physical activity, socialization, and other important aspects of healthy development. Excessive screen time in children and adolescents has been associated with issues such as obesity, sleep problems, and reduced attention span.
To promote balanced screen usage, parents can follow guidelines from organizations like the Digital Health Task Force, which offer practical strategies to limit screen time and encourage physical activity. Understanding the impact of excessive screen time is essential for parents and caregivers who want to support healthy development and make informed decisions about the time spent on digital devices.
Parents As Role Models
Parents typically employ strategies such as setting boundaries, using parental controls, and promoting alternative activities to manage children's screen usage. But it is crucial to understand that children are observational learners. They are watching parents and other adults in their lives and learning to mimic them as they grow. So, while setting restrictions on screen time for children, parents need to keep in mind that the rules should be set at a household level. Parents should monitor their own screen time, especially mobile media usage in front of young children.
Both the child and family member can be affected by screen use during shared activities, as it may distract from quality interactions and hinder the development of social and language skills. Mobile usage can disrupt meaningful engagement and lead to negative behaviors in children. Media devices, including television viewing and video games, can reduce opportunities for physical and imaginative play, which are essential for developing self-regulation and creativity.
To mitigate these effects, parents and caregivers can adopt several strategies to reduce interference from technology. Being mindful about mobile device use throughout the day is essential. Setting aside dedicated times without multitasking between the child and notifications can foster better attention and interaction. Avoiding background television or other screen viewing during playtimes and mealtimes is also beneficial. Turning off screens when no one is watching helps minimize unnecessary screen exposure. Having screens in children's bedrooms is linked to increased screen time; hence, it is advisable not to have televisions and other digital screens in the bedroom. Also, turning off screens at least an hour before bedtime has been known to improve sleep quality. Additionally, incorporating daily routines that encourage conversation and playful interactions strengthens the parent-child bond and promotes healthy early childhood development.
Effective Digital Media Use
Children today are considered digital natives, having been born into a rapidly changing digital ecosystem. We need to leverage technological breakthroughs and capitalize on a wide variety of digital content. Today, a child can access learning and information from all around the world on virtually any topic, which can vastly expand their horizons. Children must become familiar with the tools they will need to master in their future student and adult lives. The answer to this is to engage with digital media deliberately and thoughtfully.
- Relate digital media content to real life: Extending learning from screen media into real-life situations can help reduce the transfer deficit. For instance, if a child is watching a song about colors, parents can reinforce learning by asking the child to identify colors around the room, thus enhancing early language and cognitive development. Content should connect new concepts to familiar experiences, making learning relevant and easier to understand.
- Content selection: Children should be exposed to content that is age-appropriate and relevant to the child's life. It should also be tailored to the interests of the child. New content topics can be selected and gradually introduced to children to build awareness and interest in new fields. Children learn best when content captures their attention and keeps them focused on a consistent learning goal. High-quality educational programs can support cognitive development and promote positive racial attitudes in children.
- Context of digital media consumption: Learning is enhanced when it occurs within a warm social interaction. Media that mimics social exchanges or encourages adult-child interaction can support language development and executive function. Children learn more effectively when screen time is shared with an adult who can respond to questions and help the child understand and apply what they see on the screen.
- Active involvement: Screen media should encourage children to be mentally active or “minds-on,” requiring them to think and participate rather than passively watch. Gamified content challenges children in engaging ways, keeping their minds actively involved. It can be an excellent tool for improving specific skills, such as mental math and sight word recognition, even at a young age. Interactive video chat can facilitate language learning comparably to shared reading.
- Social engagement: Learning is enhanced when it occurs within a warm social interaction. Media that mimics social exchanges or encourages adult-child interaction can support language development and executive function.
When adults—parents, caregivers, or teachers—select screen media experiences that align with a child’s interests, abilities, and emerging skills, these experiences can become rich learning opportunities—choosing age-appropriate educational programs within familiar and meaningful settings. Engaging with the child during screen time can significantly reduce the adverse effects of excessive screen time and promote children's healthy development. It is important to note that more than four hours of children's screen time per day is associated with more severe depressive symptoms and other adverse outcomes, highlighting the need for moderation and parental guidance.
In conclusion, while screen media and digital devices are increasingly prevalent in young children’s daily lives, managing screen time thoughtfully is essential. Excessive screen time, especially early and persistent exposure, can potentially affect language development, cognitive abilities, and mental health. Employing effective management and limitation techniques can help parents promote balanced screen usage. Encouraging physical activity, creative or active play, and face-to-face interactions alongside limited, purposeful screen media exposure supports optimal early childhood development.