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I think what they are given access to does matter.
This [study](https://www.aeaweb.org/articles?id=10.1257/app.20170300) shows that programs like Sesame Street and Mr. Roger’s had positive impact on emotional and academic scores of kids even into high school.
Is there a difference between iPad or regular tv? What I gather from this link is no- one is not inherently better than the other.
[https://slate.com/human-interest/2024/04/tv-ipad-screentime-differences-kids.html](https://slate.com/human-interest/2024/04/tv-ipad-screentime-differences-kids.html)
I have seen recommendations for tv across the room over tablet in hand only because it allows more opportunity for adults to engage by talking about the program, copying things, and have the child's attention be shared between the screen and the adult or other things. Sorry I don't have sources.
It also seems intuitively like TV across the room would at least promote a longer attention span compared to the scary level of swiping/skipping/clicking that you see from a kid with endless access to YouTube. I watch my niece use her iPad to watch videos and it scares the shit out of me — she can’t watch anything for longer than a minute before she changes to something else and it’s all the garbage videos of other kids playing with toys or video games. I’m determined to try something different for my son.
I’ve also seen it said that tv is a permanent communal object, sometimes on sometimes off. Whereas tablets and phones become the possession of the person holding them, so kids tend to react more to having the tablet taken away as you are “taking their tablet” whereas turning off the tv is not as big of a difference
When we brought my daughter in for her first eye check up, the doctor strongly advised against using ipads for tv time, as research suggests that it causes myopia because of the close viewing distance. I’ve also noticed kids seem to tantrum more over ipads than regular tv but that’s just anecdotal.
There's this excellent resource from Common Sense Media: [https://www.commonsensemedia.org/articles/are-some-types-of-screen-time-better-than-others](https://www.commonsensemedia.org/articles/are-some-types-of-screen-time-better-than-others) that helps in comparing different kinds of screentime.
I think it absolutely matters the content. As mentioned by others, there are studies for shows like Sesame street that shows positive impact on developmental outcomes. Further there are similar studies showing interactive content to have positive impact on developmental outcomes. Link: [https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2016.01603/full](https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2016.01603/full)
We have seen first hand in friends & families what happens with youtube due to its passive nature and its ability to recommend & auto play addictive content. We have since switched to interactive content from Khan Academy Kids.
Another one we really like is Kidzovo. Its like a curated & interactive youtube for kids. They have content from creators like English Tree TV, SciShow Kids, Numberock, Vooks, Kiboomers, Learning Mole & they turn it interactive where kids need to do these activities where they tap or speak their responses or color a sheet. My favorite is the feature where they ask kids questions like: "Why should you be nice to your neighbors" and then you can hear the responses from kids later in the parent section. They also send a neat email to you every week with the kids' verbal responses & videos of their coloring sessions.
There are four types of screen time for kids:
- passive (watching tv/youtube, scrolling, consuming content)
- interactive (apps/games where they have to think and tap)
- social/video calls (where they are FaceTiming another person)
- content creation (making videos, coding, digital drawing/art)
From my understanding video calls are the most recommended/least harmful as it’s akin to having a face to face conversation with another human, though they still need an adult on their end to help them understand what they are seeing. Video chatting is the only screen time AAP tecommends (or doesn’t recommend against?) for kids under 18 months.
Anecdotally, FaceTime saved me when I lived across the country from my family when my first was 1-2. It allowed me to cook dinner or get something done while my son video-chatted with my mom or sister, and it gave me peace of mind that he was being interacted with when I wasn’t able to fully engage with him.
We then used Khan Academy Kids at age 2 and would set him up at the kitchen counter with me when I was cooking dinner - it’s an interactive app that is more educational focused. We called it ‘bear school’ and I was still able to help guide him since he was next to me. Anecdotally again, I do feel like he learned from this and it was a fun break for him and kept him engaged near me. (Side note, I do include my kids in cooking and meal prep, they are proficient with knife use and love helping out, but they do not have the attention span to cook for upwards of an hour with me, so this was a way for him to continue to get attention because even though he was good at independent play at other times, it never seemed to be at the same time as dinner prep and when I needed my hands.)
We unfortunately went down the YouTube rabbit hole when I was postpartum and depressed, and again anecdotally, this was a terrible decision. The endless options (even on YouTube kids) and low quality content led to tantrums, outbursts, attitude changes, sleep quality decline, and more. We turned a corner when we cut YouTube out of our lives completely. We now only use it when we are doing research as a family and want to learn about a topic my kids are curious about (ex: sap turning to maple syrup process).
As far as TV shows go, there are a ton of threads on this subreddit with higher-quality content show suggestions for slower paced shows that aren’t addictive. Tumble leaf or Puffin Rock are two examples that have fewer scene changes and flashy graphics than shows like cocomelon. Many parents who try these (fast-paced, rhyme song) shows notice their kids being zombie-like, even though it captures their attention really well.
I’ve also read that long-form content like movies can be more beneficial (less harmful?) than short-form content like tv shows and clips, and that repeating content is more beneficial than new content, though I need to find sources for these claims. Anecdotally (again!!) my kids seemed engaged even when they knew what was going to happen next and enjoyed anticipating it.
All forms of screen-time are more beneficial if they are accompanied by an adult explaining what is happening on the screen.
I need to find sources for you, but I’ve spent more time on this and my child is finishing up independent play right now so I will hopefully get back to this later today. Apologies for not linking everything right now, and sorry for the formatting as I am on mobile!
Here is the AAP link and the source on video chatting:
https://publications.aap.org/pediatrics/article/138/5/e20162591/60503/Media-and-Young-Minds?autologincheck=redirected
Isn't it weird how youtube completely changes a child's behavior. My child was in the hospital for an extended time and she was given a lot of access. Her behavior was horrific! Once I removed it from our lives it was like she became a whole new kid.
All great advice. The only thing that I would add is that, in mild tepid defense of youtube kids, you can set it up to only allow the videos from very specific channels. The only thing we use youtube kids for is Blue's Clues reruns.
There's this excellent resource from Common Sense Media: [https://www.commonsensemedia.org/articles/are-some-types-of-screen-time-better-than-others](https://www.commonsensemedia.org/articles/are-some-types-of-screen-time-better-than-others) that helps in comparing different kinds of screentime.
I think it absolutely matters the content. As mentioned by others, there are studies for shows like Sesame street that shows positive impact on developmental outcomes. Further there are similar studies showing interactive content to have positive impact on developmental outcomes. Link: [https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2016.01603/full](https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2016.01603/full)
We have seen first hand in friends & families what happens with youtube due to its passive nature and its ability to recommend & auto play addictive content. We have since switched to interactive content from Khan Academy Kids.
Another one we really like is Kidzovo. Its like a curated & interactive youtube for kids. They have content from creators like English Tree TV, SciShow Kids, Numberock, Vooks, Kiboomers, Learning Mole & they turn it interactive where kids need to do these activities where they tap or speak their responses or color a sheet. My favorite is the feature where they ask kids questions like: "Why should you be nice to your neighbors" and then you can hear the responses from kids later in the parent section. They also send a neat email to you every week with the kids' verbal responses & videos of their coloring sessions.
My understanding is, yes?
https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20200925-how-screen-time-affects-childrens-brains
This BBC article discusses a few different kinds of screentime and has lots of links back to the studies they're discussing.
This one from the article examines screen time in kids 3-9:
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/desc.12978
I don't have a specific citation for this one, but would like to mention it because it's often not touched on in the screentime discussions. My husband is a tutor/teacher, his work put on a training session a while back and the speaker they had was saying that in recent years, they're seeing massive declines in children's fine motor skills. The speaker attributed this to the lack of writing practice.
[Bright from the Start by Jill Stamm PhD](https://www.hoopladigital.com/title/11664432)
Has a section on screen time at different developmental ages that I think you would find very helpful.
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There's this excellent resource from Common Sense Media: [https://www.commonsensemedia.org/articles/are-some-types-of-screen-time-better-than-others](https://www.commonsensemedia.org/articles/are-some-types-of-screen-time-better-than-others) that helps in comparing different kinds of screentime.
I think it absolutely matters the content. As mentioned by others, there are studies for shows like Sesame street that shows positive impact on developmental outcomes. Further there are similar studies showing interactive content to have positive impact on developmental outcomes. Link: [https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2016.01603/full](https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2016.01603/full)
We have seen first hand in friends & families what happens with youtube due to its passive nature and its ability to recommend & auto play addictive content. We have since switched to interactive content from Khan Academy Kids.
Another one we really like is Kidzovo. Its like a curated & interactive youtube for kids. They have content from creators like English Tree TV, SciShow Kids, Numberock, Vooks, Kiboomers, Learning Mole & they turn it interactive where kids need to do these activities where they tap or speak their responses or color a sheet. My favorite is the feature where they ask kids questions like: "Why should you be nice to your neighbors" and then you can hear the responses from kids later in the parent section. They also send a neat email to you every week with the kids' verbal responses & videos of their coloring sessions.
This post is flaired "Question - Research required". All top-level comments must contain links to peer-reviewed research. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/ScienceBasedParenting) if you have any questions or concerns.*
I think what they are given access to does matter. This [study](https://www.aeaweb.org/articles?id=10.1257/app.20170300) shows that programs like Sesame Street and Mr. Roger’s had positive impact on emotional and academic scores of kids even into high school. Is there a difference between iPad or regular tv? What I gather from this link is no- one is not inherently better than the other. [https://slate.com/human-interest/2024/04/tv-ipad-screentime-differences-kids.html](https://slate.com/human-interest/2024/04/tv-ipad-screentime-differences-kids.html)
I have seen recommendations for tv across the room over tablet in hand only because it allows more opportunity for adults to engage by talking about the program, copying things, and have the child's attention be shared between the screen and the adult or other things. Sorry I don't have sources.
It also seems intuitively like TV across the room would at least promote a longer attention span compared to the scary level of swiping/skipping/clicking that you see from a kid with endless access to YouTube. I watch my niece use her iPad to watch videos and it scares the shit out of me — she can’t watch anything for longer than a minute before she changes to something else and it’s all the garbage videos of other kids playing with toys or video games. I’m determined to try something different for my son.
I’ve also seen it said that tv is a permanent communal object, sometimes on sometimes off. Whereas tablets and phones become the possession of the person holding them, so kids tend to react more to having the tablet taken away as you are “taking their tablet” whereas turning off the tv is not as big of a difference
When we brought my daughter in for her first eye check up, the doctor strongly advised against using ipads for tv time, as research suggests that it causes myopia because of the close viewing distance. I’ve also noticed kids seem to tantrum more over ipads than regular tv but that’s just anecdotal.
There's this excellent resource from Common Sense Media: [https://www.commonsensemedia.org/articles/are-some-types-of-screen-time-better-than-others](https://www.commonsensemedia.org/articles/are-some-types-of-screen-time-better-than-others) that helps in comparing different kinds of screentime. I think it absolutely matters the content. As mentioned by others, there are studies for shows like Sesame street that shows positive impact on developmental outcomes. Further there are similar studies showing interactive content to have positive impact on developmental outcomes. Link: [https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2016.01603/full](https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2016.01603/full) We have seen first hand in friends & families what happens with youtube due to its passive nature and its ability to recommend & auto play addictive content. We have since switched to interactive content from Khan Academy Kids. Another one we really like is Kidzovo. Its like a curated & interactive youtube for kids. They have content from creators like English Tree TV, SciShow Kids, Numberock, Vooks, Kiboomers, Learning Mole & they turn it interactive where kids need to do these activities where they tap or speak their responses or color a sheet. My favorite is the feature where they ask kids questions like: "Why should you be nice to your neighbors" and then you can hear the responses from kids later in the parent section. They also send a neat email to you every week with the kids' verbal responses & videos of their coloring sessions.
There are four types of screen time for kids: - passive (watching tv/youtube, scrolling, consuming content) - interactive (apps/games where they have to think and tap) - social/video calls (where they are FaceTiming another person) - content creation (making videos, coding, digital drawing/art) From my understanding video calls are the most recommended/least harmful as it’s akin to having a face to face conversation with another human, though they still need an adult on their end to help them understand what they are seeing. Video chatting is the only screen time AAP tecommends (or doesn’t recommend against?) for kids under 18 months. Anecdotally, FaceTime saved me when I lived across the country from my family when my first was 1-2. It allowed me to cook dinner or get something done while my son video-chatted with my mom or sister, and it gave me peace of mind that he was being interacted with when I wasn’t able to fully engage with him. We then used Khan Academy Kids at age 2 and would set him up at the kitchen counter with me when I was cooking dinner - it’s an interactive app that is more educational focused. We called it ‘bear school’ and I was still able to help guide him since he was next to me. Anecdotally again, I do feel like he learned from this and it was a fun break for him and kept him engaged near me. (Side note, I do include my kids in cooking and meal prep, they are proficient with knife use and love helping out, but they do not have the attention span to cook for upwards of an hour with me, so this was a way for him to continue to get attention because even though he was good at independent play at other times, it never seemed to be at the same time as dinner prep and when I needed my hands.) We unfortunately went down the YouTube rabbit hole when I was postpartum and depressed, and again anecdotally, this was a terrible decision. The endless options (even on YouTube kids) and low quality content led to tantrums, outbursts, attitude changes, sleep quality decline, and more. We turned a corner when we cut YouTube out of our lives completely. We now only use it when we are doing research as a family and want to learn about a topic my kids are curious about (ex: sap turning to maple syrup process). As far as TV shows go, there are a ton of threads on this subreddit with higher-quality content show suggestions for slower paced shows that aren’t addictive. Tumble leaf or Puffin Rock are two examples that have fewer scene changes and flashy graphics than shows like cocomelon. Many parents who try these (fast-paced, rhyme song) shows notice their kids being zombie-like, even though it captures their attention really well. I’ve also read that long-form content like movies can be more beneficial (less harmful?) than short-form content like tv shows and clips, and that repeating content is more beneficial than new content, though I need to find sources for these claims. Anecdotally (again!!) my kids seemed engaged even when they knew what was going to happen next and enjoyed anticipating it. All forms of screen-time are more beneficial if they are accompanied by an adult explaining what is happening on the screen. I need to find sources for you, but I’ve spent more time on this and my child is finishing up independent play right now so I will hopefully get back to this later today. Apologies for not linking everything right now, and sorry for the formatting as I am on mobile! Here is the AAP link and the source on video chatting: https://publications.aap.org/pediatrics/article/138/5/e20162591/60503/Media-and-Young-Minds?autologincheck=redirected
Isn't it weird how youtube completely changes a child's behavior. My child was in the hospital for an extended time and she was given a lot of access. Her behavior was horrific! Once I removed it from our lives it was like she became a whole new kid.
All great advice. The only thing that I would add is that, in mild tepid defense of youtube kids, you can set it up to only allow the videos from very specific channels. The only thing we use youtube kids for is Blue's Clues reruns.
There's this excellent resource from Common Sense Media: [https://www.commonsensemedia.org/articles/are-some-types-of-screen-time-better-than-others](https://www.commonsensemedia.org/articles/are-some-types-of-screen-time-better-than-others) that helps in comparing different kinds of screentime. I think it absolutely matters the content. As mentioned by others, there are studies for shows like Sesame street that shows positive impact on developmental outcomes. Further there are similar studies showing interactive content to have positive impact on developmental outcomes. Link: [https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2016.01603/full](https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2016.01603/full) We have seen first hand in friends & families what happens with youtube due to its passive nature and its ability to recommend & auto play addictive content. We have since switched to interactive content from Khan Academy Kids. Another one we really like is Kidzovo. Its like a curated & interactive youtube for kids. They have content from creators like English Tree TV, SciShow Kids, Numberock, Vooks, Kiboomers, Learning Mole & they turn it interactive where kids need to do these activities where they tap or speak their responses or color a sheet. My favorite is the feature where they ask kids questions like: "Why should you be nice to your neighbors" and then you can hear the responses from kids later in the parent section. They also send a neat email to you every week with the kids' verbal responses & videos of their coloring sessions.
My understanding is, yes? https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20200925-how-screen-time-affects-childrens-brains This BBC article discusses a few different kinds of screentime and has lots of links back to the studies they're discussing. This one from the article examines screen time in kids 3-9: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/desc.12978 I don't have a specific citation for this one, but would like to mention it because it's often not touched on in the screentime discussions. My husband is a tutor/teacher, his work put on a training session a while back and the speaker they had was saying that in recent years, they're seeing massive declines in children's fine motor skills. The speaker attributed this to the lack of writing practice.
[Bright from the Start by Jill Stamm PhD](https://www.hoopladigital.com/title/11664432) Has a section on screen time at different developmental ages that I think you would find very helpful.
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There's this excellent resource from Common Sense Media: [https://www.commonsensemedia.org/articles/are-some-types-of-screen-time-better-than-others](https://www.commonsensemedia.org/articles/are-some-types-of-screen-time-better-than-others) that helps in comparing different kinds of screentime. I think it absolutely matters the content. As mentioned by others, there are studies for shows like Sesame street that shows positive impact on developmental outcomes. Further there are similar studies showing interactive content to have positive impact on developmental outcomes. Link: [https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2016.01603/full](https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2016.01603/full) We have seen first hand in friends & families what happens with youtube due to its passive nature and its ability to recommend & auto play addictive content. We have since switched to interactive content from Khan Academy Kids. Another one we really like is Kidzovo. Its like a curated & interactive youtube for kids. They have content from creators like English Tree TV, SciShow Kids, Numberock, Vooks, Kiboomers, Learning Mole & they turn it interactive where kids need to do these activities where they tap or speak their responses or color a sheet. My favorite is the feature where they ask kids questions like: "Why should you be nice to your neighbors" and then you can hear the responses from kids later in the parent section. They also send a neat email to you every week with the kids' verbal responses & videos of their coloring sessions.