Playtime in a Digital Age

Many of the popular new toys for young children involve electronics like TV and computers and claim to help them learn. Videos like Baby Einstein are now a staple in many homes, but are they really helping children learn?

According to research, babies don’t comprehend what they see on screen until they are 18 to 24 months old. Studies have shown that early television viewing is associated with a variety of long-term problems, such as slower development of reading and math skills. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that children under the age of 2 not have any screen time including television, video and computer. It also states that children older than two should have no more than one or two hours of screen time a day.

However, most parents will admit they use videos to buy them a few uninterrupted minutes to do household chores. According to experts letting your child watch videos is not harmful as long as it is in moderation. It is also important to remember that children need attention from parents and siblings to develop normally. Interaction with other people like parents and older siblings is far better.

For more information visit the Kids Health web site.