A communication gap between home and school may lead to young children logging more screen time than parents realize, according to an article in The 74.
Most children age 5 and under are in an early care and education setting at least part of the week, where screen time may be less visible but present in some form.
In early learning environments, screen use varies widely, says Rebecca Parlakian, senior director of programs at Zero to Three, a nonprofit focused on early childhood development. Some settings are screen-free, while others set parameters like time limits or restricting screens for educational use only. Others allow children to watch movies or short videos for entertainment.
Research on best practices for children and digital media emphasizes the importance of in-person, hands-on and relational interactions. But often program staff and parents are not communicating with one another about how much or what kind of screen time a child is getting in each environment, says Kate Blocker, director of research and programs at Children and Screens: Institute of Digital Media and Child Development.
“The communication gaps are really real,” says Blocker.
“Technology in early childhood is not a black-and-white thing,” says LaTonya Richardson, owner and director of The Academy of Learning and Early Care. “We need clearer guidance, and we need realistic goals.”
But the field lacks a set of guidelines that all program leaders and staff can reference. Early childhood advocacy and membership organizations do offer some recommendations. The National Association for Family Child Care includes guidelines for “television and computers” in its quality standards, including limits of 30 minutes of screen time per day for children over age 2 and none for those who are under 2.
Richardson’s approach has evolved as she’s learned what works well for children and what doesn’t.
Today, she and the other two teachers in her program keep technology use brief and reserve it for when a screen can add something to the learning experience for her students, who range in age from 7 months to 5 years old.
“Technology is used as a tool, not as a replacement for teaching,” she says. “We believe children learn best through play, conversations and movement.”
Screens are used with intention, she says, such as to recap a lesson and deepen the children’s understanding of stories, Richardson says.
“It’s to give them something else than we’re already doing so they can see and feel and interact in different ways when we’re using the tablet,” Richardson explains.
The older kids can access a tablet to practice concepts like counting or the alphabet. Her staff limits this activity to five minutes at a time.
“It’s all about guidance, support and making sure everyone’s clear on what the role is when it comes to using those devices,” she says.
It’s important that those messages are communicated consistently across both home and school settings, Richardson adds.
She held a workshop for families at one point to help them understand what healthy technology use looks like for young children, and to understand the trade-offs of granting their kids screen time at home.
“It’s not to shame any parents,” Richardson says. “It’s to work with them so they can work with us.”
The 74
