The proliferation of digital tools presents new challenges for today’s educators and parents of young children. Parents want their children to have healthy technology habits. I want the same for my grandchildren. But what does that mean? How do we know what’s best? Where do I go for help?
It turns out that one writer for the New York Times was surprised to discover that the late Steve Jobs and other tech CEOs didn’t allow their own kids unlimited access to 21st century cool tools. Sound strange? Not at all, because they are responsible parents who want their children to thrive in those crucial early years.
According to one study, Learning at Home: Families’ Educational Media Use in America, 34% of 2 to 10-year-old children are engaged with educational media daily, and 80% are engaged at least once a week. On average, this age group spends about two hours per day with onscreen media. In the life of a young child, that’s a huge chunk of time. Parents and educators should apply common sense to this digital dilemma. Here are some basic ground rules for healthy technology habits:
Look for interactive media with an appropriate level of challenge for a child’s abilities
Limit young children’s screen time to bite-sized chunks (10 – 15 minutes)
Select digital experiences that provide opportunities to enrich relevant content in appropriate contexts
Of course, always remember that media engagement should not replace creative play, physical activity, hands-on experiences, and social interaction, which are essential for optimal growth and development. Without doubt, stimulating multimedia will influence my grandchildren’s learning adventures, but I’ll be keeping track of the minutes and making sure that any screen time is worthwhile in terms of educational value.