Throughout much of our adult lives, we have to force ourselves to look at the lit screens of our laptops, computers, and televisions since it’s part of our work or it’s a form of entertainment for us. But other than just watching television or staring at our computer screens throughout much of the day, most of us do spend much of our quality time interacting with friends and family members.
Naturally, children won’t have the same self-control and attention span as adults and are drawn to flashy videos, video games, and other features that they see on smartphones, tablets, and other devices. A lot of parents are quite concerned with this situation as this might impede the learning process of children as they’re too preoccupied with what’s on their screen rather than “living in the moment.”
There are several studies that have been conducted that reveal that too much exposure to electronic gadgets such as smartphones, gaming consoles, and even tablets can cause complications in the development and the overall health of children that are still in pre-school. But what are these problems with development? How does screen time affect children? Here’s what you’ll need to know.
What Do Findings Say?
When children are still at an early age, this is one of the most crucial stages that will affect their brain’s function. The brain’s size and function will significantly increase in size at this stage of their life.
Other than just the number of brain cells forming, the connections between these brain cells are also formed in between brain cells is also crucial towards the development process. Much of these synapses will play key roles in learning and will usually grow depending on the child’s early experiences. This is one of the reasons why extracurricular and physical activities should be a priority in children under the age of 5 since this will affect how they will engage with individuals.
Promoting Digital Learning
Still, it’s important to remember that tablets and smartphones are integral to the learning process of children. Although findings might suggest that screen time can be detrimental to their development, regulating their screen time can help with digital learning. This is especially useful during the COVID-19 pandemic when digital learning is one of the effective alternative strategies to the learning process.
However, most parents should still be mindful of how children will interact with electronic devices, especially those that shouldn’t be used by children since this could be potential electric hazards.
When children are now more confident with interfacing with electronic devices, they might try to interact with electric panels, wires, and outlets. If this is the case, you might want to consider getting your appliances checked with electrical services to ensure that your children are safe and secure from electrical hazards.
Avoiding The Effects Of Screen Time
Although most smartphones and tablets are integral to the learning process, many studies would point out that having too much screen time can hinder the development process of children. For a lot of parents, delaying screen time should be the top priority.
So what are some ways of effectively cutting down on the usage of gadgets and delaying screen time?
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Get Them To Dance and Sing
One of the best ways of improving your child’s motor-sensory capabilities is by getting them to dance and sing. You might want to play some children’s songs which can help them exercise through dancing. Most preschoolers are already content with music alone. If there’s a music video, then they’ll usually follow what’s on it.
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Make Them More Creative
One great way of keeping children pre-occupied while honing their creativity is by giving them art materials. You can always use newspapers, crayons, and pre-school level paint. However, you might need to ensure that your art materials are non-toxic.
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Help Them Build
Another great way of testing out your child’s creativity and problem-solving skills by giving them sets of Legos or clay that’s for children. You might want to give your child building blogs or other types of toys. If there are no toys, you can always give them blankets, some chairs, or some type of safe furniture. Roleplaying and letting them build a fort can help them hone their imagination.
There are different ways of avoiding a good amount of screen time for preschoolers and children. One of the most simple ways of cutting down screen time is by spending time and socializing with your children/ This way; you’re promoting socialization and skills in language with your children. You can always play with other children or even read stories for them.
