The burning question for many parents is how much time should your child be using a smartphone or tablet, watching the TV, or playing a game? They are all the rage these days and encompass a lot of a child’s learning as we shift towards a different future we can’t entirely relate to. But is limiting it or removing it entirely the right answer? We discuss what could be considered too much screen time from the advice of this nursery in Clapham.
What devices does your child already use?
The amount of screen time your child takes on each day is going to vary from another child in their nursery group. Your child might just prefer to watch television as opposed to playing games on your phone for half an hour. It will be entirely down to you and your child’s lifestyle choices. But they will all be considered elements of screen time; a child watching 4 hours of TV a day is going to be similar to a child using a tablet for 1 hour, a PC for 2 hours and then watching TV for another 2 hours.
What does your child take in from screen time?
Cartoons and kids shows are not bad resources to let your child use. They are often very educational and interesting, giving children life lessons and new perspectives on life. But the quality will always vary, and it’s up to you whether you see clear improvements in your child’s learning from what they watch or play.
Nowadays, as we lean more into technology in our child’s learning, it’s natural to expect a lot more screen time in your child’s day. Don’t feel disheartened or pressured into particular approaches of handling screen time if you know what works well with your child.
When to control your child’s screen time
Alarm bells can go off if your child is using too many devices at once, causing them to spend many hours on lots of different screens. The blue light emitted from these screens can cause headaches, but there’s also the risk your child can become addicted to using these devices without them even knowing it. When it looks like too much, it’s time to curb the use. Set limits on when they can use these devices and where. And instil control, so that they learn to understand the drawbacks of too much screen time.
This is when you can grab a book for them to read, or bring out some colouring supplies. Mix up their activities so that they don’t miss out.
Overall, there is no right or wrong answer to too much screen time. Every situation is different, but as a rule of thumb aim for about 1 – 3 hours a day. This ensures they still have time to pick up other activities to preoccupy them, and teach them how best to handle their urges.
