WASHINGTON — When the temperatures dip, the snow falls and little ones are stuck inside, screen time is practically unavoidable — especially for parents in need of a few minutes peace.
And while erring on the conservative side of TV and tablet use is recommended, not all time spent watching a show or playing an app is bad. In fact, it can be constructive.
“If you’re making a really high-quality choice and building in some time to talk to your kids about what they watched, the screen time can actually boost some key learning skills,” said Sara DeWitt, children’s media expert and vice president of PBS Kids Digital.
To make sure your kids get the most out of their screen time, Dewitt said be strategic when selecting content. Spend a few minutes pinpointing your child’s top interests — be it space, animals, trucks, etc. — and look for a show or an app that focuses on that subject.
“Try to think a little bit more deliberately. Don’t just hand a screen to the kids and let them choose whatever,” DeWitt said.
“Give them a few choices that you know are going to give them some high-quality experiences.”
Then when the show, movie or game is over, talk to your child about what they just watched or played. Ask them questions about the content, and encourage them to think of follow-up questions to expand their learning.
“Even just a conversation over dinner is a great way to build on what a kid was doing,” DeWitt said.
Need recommendations on age-appropriate shows, movies and apps? Check out Common Sense Media: The nonprofit publishes a number of lists and reviews for books, films, websites — even streaming-specific guides for the best kids shows on Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Prime.
If your child is into apps, DeWitt suggests choosing one that “will keep them contained and give them a lot of choices within it” to minimize the likelihood of rolling into an inappropriate show or game. She said both the Khan Academy Kids and PBS Kids apps are great options.
“Another trick on an iPad or a tablet is to make one screen just the apps for the kid, so that if they press that button and go back to the home screen, what they see immediately in front of them are choices that you’ve made for them,” DeWitt said.
Setting limits is always a good idea, especially when it comes to apps, which, unlike movies and shows, don’t have a defined ending. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends children ages 2 to 5 limit screen use to one hour a day; research shows kids under 8 spend an average of two hours and 19 minutes a day with screen media.
There’s no magic number that’s right for everybody — especially when bad weather is a factor — so decide on a limit you feel comfortable with, and remember that quality counts. DeWitt suggests setting a loud timer, so it’s clear when the allowable amount of screen time is up. Common Sense Media also offers resources and tips for parents when it comes to screen limits.
