Managing Technology With Toddlers

What We Know Now:
Research shows children begin zooming in on digital media devices, such as their parents' tablets or smartphones, as young as 6 months old. Especially if they're having fun, children might keep playing and watching to the point of eye-rubbing exhaustion.

Managing Interactive Tools For Toddlers
In our world today “learning apps and hardware” for your toddler is available everywhere. Using technology has become the norm for toddler to teens, Most early learning child care centers have interactive tools and companies can’t produce them fast enough!

When looking for these tools for toddlers you want to be sure the company creating these tool are abiding by the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). Toys or tools should give your toddler the opportunity for being creative and interactive, not simply watching a video.

Check out:
ABC Mouse Early Learning Academy (ages 2-8)

KiwiCo.com - Panda Crate and Sprout: Koala Crate, check out their
Curious with hands-on fun (ages 3-6)

What about Screen Time?

Did you know… American children spend an average of 7-8 hours per day viewing screen entertainment.

Toddler Screen Time Recommendation from AACAPToddlers before the age of two should be limited

You may be thinking oh dear! This is recommended by the experts except for video calls with family.

Toddlers 18-24 months
Focus on high quality, education media always with an adult

Toddlers ages 2-5|
Limit screen time to about 1 hour per week day of engaging and age appropriate apps and 3 hours on weekend days. When toddlers are using screen time be sure to engage with your little one and talk about what they are watching. Ask and answer question they might have.

It is recommended not to have screen time during meals or before bedtime (I can see your faces right now. Once you allow this, you will have a more challenging time when you realize it needs to be stopped. I know this is hard when you are at a restaurant with a toddler.

As a parent we need to model good habits using our phone and iPads if we want our children to do the same.

• Research shows that toddlers learn best from real-life interactions such as play and exploration

• Too much screen time can interfere with language development because of lack of interaction with family or caregivers, as well as eye fatigue.

• Screen time can have an impact on attention, behavior and even sleep.

For more information if you have older kids check this out?https://www.aacap.org/AACAP/Families_and_Youth/Facts_for_Families/FFF-Guide/Screen_Violence_Children-013.aspx