The impact that technology and screen time have on children’s developing brains has always been a passionate topic for me. In fact, I devoted my master’s degree research to studying the effect video games have on adolescent boys’ aggression. So when my husband and I decided to start a family, I wanted to be very intentional about how we used screen time with our kids, especially in the first two years of development.
We live in a world where technology reigns, and that’s okay! With advancing technology, we have gained so much knowledge. I have sat in numerous teacher staff development meetings where this statistic is thrown about-“65% of the jobs we are preparing our children for do not yet exist.” Why is this? TECHNOLOGY is changing our world rapidly!
I am not suggesting we completely eliminate screen time. But parents are still the best educators our kids have, especially during the early years. The value of sitting and reading to your kids is monumental. Engaging and interacting while introducing shapes, letters and numbers is more meaningful than a tablet game with similar topics.
A few of my girlfriends have asked how we handle screen time in our house. So, I thought I’d share!
Here are a few guidelines we use- but of course there are days when we vary from this. Everything is okay in moderation!
- Our first child had no screen time until he was 2. This was easier than I expected it to be. Every so often, the TV would be on for small amounts of time, but he wouldn’t really be interested at all.
- When our first child started potty training, we found a few great apps for our iPad to help keep him sitting on the potty. He could use the Daniel Tiger app when he was sitting still. Gradually, we only used the iPad for “longer” potty sits. Then, we phased it out completely!
- While I was pregnant with our second child, we gradually started increasing screen time. He could watch a PBS show in the morning and a PBS show after nap time. Our go-tos were Daniel Tiger and Super Why.
- When first child was almost 3, he became a big brother. I needed time to nurse, so we would let him use the screen a little more frequently. We also bought a Leap Pad, which he was allowed to use while I was nursing. We found this to be a useful educational distraction while I fed his baby brother.
- Now, we have an almost 5 year old and a 2 year old. Together they choose 2 shows in the morning, 1 show after nap and a Daniel Tiger before bed. We regulate the types of shows they choose by utilizing Netflix’s parental controls. It’s been very helpful to show our oldest which shows are appropriate for his age. This may seem like a lot of screen time but this is just our general guideline. Often, we don’t fit in all of these show times and our boys don’t even seem to notice.
It wouldn’t be fair if I sat here and told you to limit screen time without giving some great options to keep those kiddos occupied when you need a few minutes to get something done!
Here are a few tried and true activities we use for non-screen time!
- Play Doh-we are a major Play Doh family! I put the big box of Play Doh and toys on the table, and the boys are occupied for a long time!
Water play-put a few cups in the sink, fill it with warm water and let the boys at it! We may need to wipe up the kitchen floor after, but it’s totally worth it. - Sensory table-do you have a water table or a plastic tub? Fill it with something your kiddos can explore-we’ve done shaving cream, feed corn, water beads, and sand. Winter time? Throw in some snow!
- Art time-painting, crayons or markers! Whatever the boys have an interest in for that day, we give it a go.
- Free play-it’s okay to not have a structured activity for your kids to do. We encourage a lot of free, imaginative play with the boys. I’m amazed at how well they are able to play independently while I am getting things done around the house!
How does your family navigate the world of technology at your house? Any great tips and tricks for keeping kids engaged without a screen?
