Research from the Joan Ganz Cooney Center conducted a survey of 1,500 parents with children ages 2–10 and found that less than half of children’s screen time is dedicated to educational content. They also suggest that as children get older, their screen time increasingly becomes less educational. One rule to combat this statistic in your home is to enforce a 1:1 or 2:1 ratio of educational screen time to non-educational. Invest in some quality educational games that your children enjoy and insist that they play these games before any others.
Why are educational video games important?
Educational video games provide:
- Valuable skills practice
- Digital content that engages children’s interest in learning
- Audio and visual components that appeal to many types of learners
Digital media does not have to dominate your home, but can be used as an enriching and entertaining tool. Create healthy habits within your family by modeling the behaviors you expect from your children. Studies are coming out about the adverse effects of too much digital media and warning parents to be vigilant monitors of their children’s screen activity. They recommend that you redefine your household screen time with healthy limits and provide educational screen time, including educational video games.
How much time should my child spend on screen-related activities?
Too much digital media means a reduced amount of unstructured play time. The American Academy of Pediatrics recently updated their guidelines to identify “screen time” as time spent using technology for entertainment. Listed below are the most recent AAP recommendations for children’s screen time.
- Ages 0–2: no screen time
- Ages 2–5: one hour of high-quality educational programming
- Ages 6 and up: establish consistent limits that do not affect sleep, physical activity, and health behaviors
Many problems can arise from too much screen time that negatively affect children’s growth and development. Some of these issues are:
- Lack of sleep
- Weight gain
- Irritability/behavioral problems
- Loss of social skills
- Less play
Strategies to reduce screen time
With some family rules and a healthy prioritization, digital screen time can enrich your family’s life and not dominate it. Here are a few rules to incorporate into your household that help maintain children’s health and well-being while sampling all the tech world has to offer:
- Prioritize unstructured non-screen time
- Have tech-free times or zones (dinnertime, bedtime)
- No screens in bedrooms
- Limit parental screen time
Promote safe digital media by always monitoring your child’s screen activity and video game choices. Passwords, accounts, and activities need complete transparency for the safety and health of your child.
Heather Foudy is a certified elementary teacher with over 7 years’ experience as an educator and volunteer in the classroom. She enjoys creating lessons that are meaningful and creative for students. She is currently working for Evan-Moor’s marketing and communications team and enjoys building learning opportunities that are both meaningful and creative for students and teachers alike.