Instead of screens, parents should opt for supervised independent play with parents and young children if parents are unable to sit down and actively engage in play with the child, according to the recommendations. Parents also should avoid placing a television in a child’s bedroom.
“Last week, the American Academy of Pediatrics reaffirmed their position that children under age 2 should not engage in any screen time, yet the data shows infants and toddlers are growing up surrounded by screens. This use data is an important first step toward understanding how the prevalence of media and technology effects the development of our youngest kids,” Steyer said.
The study’s release also serves as the launch of Common Sense Media’s Program for the Study of Children and Media, a multi-year research effort directed by Vicky Rideout, a senior adviser to Common Sense Media and director of more than 30 previous studies on children, media and health. The program aims to provide free, objective, and reliable data about young people’s media use to those concerned about promoting healthy child development, including policymakers, educators, public health experts, child advocates, and parents.
“These results make it clear that media plays a large and growing role in children’s lives, even the youngest of children,” said Rideout. “As we grapple with issues such as the achievement gap and childhood obesity, educators, policymakers, parents, and public health leaders need access to comprehensive and credible research data to inform their efforts.”
For analysis and full results of “Zero to Eight: Children’s Media Use in America,” as well as more information about Common Sense Media’s Program for the Study of Children and Media, visit www.commonsense.org/research.
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