We now live in a digital age where screens and screen time are an integral part of our daily lives, from job to household management to leisure and everyday communication. The question of the hour is: how much and what sort of screen time is appropriate for kids, especially toddlers?
This blog discusses the many methods for limiting kids’ screen time as well as some substitute DIY activities that can keep your kids just as interested and delighted even on protracted rainy days when they’re cooped up indoors!
Exactly why should parents keep an eye on their kids’ screen time?
While using a phone, laptop, TV, or any other device, it is easy for us to become disoriented and lose sight of time and our surroundings. Children experience the same. In addition, studies reveal that with extended screen time, they face several dangers, such as:
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Concentration issues
Overstimulation from prolonged screen use makes it harder for younger minds to focus and absorb information. Also, it might be challenging for kids to concentrate on one thing at a time due to the availability of so many applications and platforms that are easy to switch between.
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Obesity risk
Because so much time is spent passively in front of a screen, excessive screen time promotes sluggishness and laziness. Not to mention the lack of physical activity when kids are in front of screens. As a result, screen time may lead to overeating and obesity in the long run.
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Social awkwardness
Face-to-face engagement is not the same as messaging, voice or video chatting, or even talking to someone while playing a video game. Children who spend too much time in front of screens may become desensitized, which will make it more difficult for them to connect with people and adjust to social circumstances in the real world.
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Behavior issues
Imitation has a significant impact on learning in infancy. Children sometimes emulate violence and violent behaviors they witness. Uncontrolled screen time and exposure to inappropriate information can lead to behavioral problems, including irritability, rage, and losing interest in routine tasks, to name a few.
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Sleep problems
Repeated exposure to screens and “blue light” decreases melatonin levels in the brain. The hormone that controls sleep is melatonin. Decreased melatonin makes it harder to fall asleep, prevents you from getting to the REM stage of sleep, and makes you have restless sleep. Even adults are recommended to limit their screen time until at least one hour before bed.
Ways to limit your child’s screen time
By having a conversation with your child, you can help them understand that excessive screen time is bad and should be limited. They are more likely to be willing to follow healthy screen time limits and limitations if they have been made to understand in a calm manner.
A family plan that includes screen time as well as other activities will help while you are all together. The ideal screen time and kind of media for your child’s age should be as follows:
- 0–24 months: Ideally, no screen time at all.
- 2–5 years: 30–45 minutes a day – hobbies, music, dance, sports, and educational videos.
- 6+ years: up to 1 hour – hobbies, music, dance, sports, and educational videos.
Children learn things by watching and noticing! Your child will be more prepared to transition from screen time to physical activity if you limit your own screen time. For instance, swap out one hour of Kindle time for an hour of book reading.
Having a dedicated screen-free area in the home is a useful strategy to limit screen use. This could occur around the dinner table or another specific spot in the house. The screen-free area might also include a designated area for family-friendly activities like board games, blocks, novels, and puzzles. Alternatively, parents may set up screen-free periods when everyone in the family puts their gadgets away and engages in other activities if having a designated screen-free area is not practical.
DIY activities to limit your child’s screen time
When there are so many video games and other forms of screen entertainment available, we can appreciate how restless kids might be. Even though it is the easiest choice, it isn’t necessarily the best for their physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing.
Here are some enjoyable things to do with kids that might help you limit your child’s time spent on screens:
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Art and craft
Get out the colored paper, stickers, crayons, and pretty much anything else you can find at home, and watch your kids have a blast making one-of-a-kind cards, puppets, toys, and other crafts. Their imagination is the only limit! To encourage young children to take an interest in arts and crafts, you can start painting or doodling and then let them take over from there.
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Puzzles
Give your toddler a puzzle and see how quickly the time passes! This will help your little one understand several concepts and develop cognitive skills.
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Journals and scrapbooks
Scrapbooking and journaling are great ways to help your kids deal with stress and give them a creative way to forget about phones and other devices. Add stickers, tabs, vibrant markers, or even a variety of pencils, and watch your child’s creativity soar.
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Painting and coloring
Encourage them to experiment with various color schemes and painting styles. You can use dust-free chalks and reusable chalk books to keep your kid happily engaged for hours if painting isn’t their thing.
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Camping
Set up a “camp” on your balcony, patio, or even in your living room! Together, prepare some food, such as sandwiches, a fast dessert, or even a dish from scratch! Enjoy the food, play board games , and maybe read a story book!
Conclusion
Along with limiting screen time, it’s important to make sure kids get enough exercise and physical activity. Yet physical exercise doesn’t have to be monotonous; it may be an opportunity for your kid to pick up a new sport, learn a new dance style, or even master a musical instrument!