Limit Screen Time for Children
In the age of technology, screens are everywhere. According to the Pew Research Center, approximately 84% of U.S. households own a smartphone and 68% of households own at least one tablet. With these devices being so abundant, it’s no wonder the average American spends over five hours a day on their phones or other handheld device. Although adults may spend a lot of time on these devices, screen time is not recommended for children under two years of age while in child care. This includes playing games or watching cartoons on any internet-connected device such as computers, tablets and smart phones. For children over two, screen time should be limited to 30 minutes or less each week while in child care.
These devices should not be used even for educational purposes. Research published in Frontiers of Psychology suggests that toddler’s brains resist learning from screens, even video chats. Unlike older children, infants and toddlers need interactive, face-to-face encounters with real, live humans in order to learn new information. Read more about this research here.
