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Maybe this sounds familiar: after a busy day, you need to relax on the couch. You give your child the tablet so he or she can entertain themselves for a while and you grab your phone to mindlessly scroll through your socials. It seems like the perfect solution: your child is entertained, maybe even learns something new and you get a well-deserved moment for yourself. Yet something is nagging. Deep down, you know that constantly staring at a screen is not the ideal situation for your little one (and for you).
In this article, you’ll learn about the importance of teaching your toddler or preschooler healthy screen habits. We’ll give you tips on how you, as parents, can set a good example and teach your child responsible screen use.
The Importance of Healthy Screen Habits for Toddlers and Preschoolers
Teaching healthy screen habits to toddlers and preschoolers is very important, not only for their current well-being, but also for their future development. Screens have become an undeniable part of our daily lives and with that comes the risk of overuse. Especially for young children whose brains are still developing.
Many games and videos that children love work through a constant reward system that produces dopamine in the brain. This constant flow of dopamine is addictive, especially for a child’s brain. This ‘dopamine addiction’ can make it harder for children to find satisfaction in non-digital activities, because they are not getting a constant supply of dopamine. This makes it harder for toddlers and preschoolers to entertain themselves and play independently.
Too much screen time can also hinder children’s social development. Screen interactions can never replace the complexity of face-to-face communication, which is so important for developing empathy, recognizing social cues, and building meaningful relationships.
Lack of physical activity can also be a result of too much sedentary screen time, which can lead to health problems including obesity and its associated complications.
A mobile phone ban will apply in primary schools from 2025. Precisely because the distraction of devices has a major impact on the learning performance and social development of children. But mobile phones and other digital devices are part of life these days. It is therefore up to you as a parent to teach your child to use them responsibly and that starts at a young age. Below you will find 6 tips for parents to teach their toddler or preschooler to use screens.
Don’t just give your child a screen when you’re cooking or busy, but watch with your child and have fun together while playing a digital game. This way it becomes a social activity and you can better guide your child in learning how to deal with screens.
1. Set a good example
Children copy the behavior they see around them. If they see you staring at a screen often, they will register this as normal and will probably do it themselves later. Therefore, be aware of your own device use and leave your phone or tablet behind more often. Especially during family activities and meals. This way, your child will learn that there are times when attention should be fully focused on the people around us, not on screens.
If you do need to look something up on your phone, explain what you are doing and why it is important to do so now. This will teach your child when it is and is not acceptable or appropriate to use a device.
2. Playing together
Make screen time a social experience by playing games or exploring educational apps together with your child. Not only does this positively encourage your toddler’s digital skills, it also strengthens your bond. Plus, it gives you the opportunity to control the content your child consumes and ensure it’s both educational and fun.
3. Choose educational content
Make sure that the time your child spends on a device is not only entertaining, but also educational. There are many apps and online platforms that promote learning through play. Think of more creative apps, puzzle games, or more videos that promote your values. Apps and videos do not have to be just for entertainment, but can help your child develop language skills, problem solving, and creativity.
If you want to entertain your child without a screen, choose audio stories or songs. Via services such as Spotify, YouTube, Storytel and the like you can find fun audio stories for different age groups. Think for example of classics such as Jip and Janneke, Disney stories or the newer De Zoete Zusjes. Spotify also has numerous playlists with children’s songs.
4. Digital-free zones and times
Set rules for when and where screens are off-limits, such as during meals or in bedrooms. This helps establish healthy routines and leaves time for screen-free activities that are important for physical and emotional development. These device-free zones and times also make you, as a parent, aware of your own device usage. Because then your children will also call you out if you look at your phone during meals.
5. Limit screen time
It is important to limit the amount of time your child spends on digital devices. If you let your child do what they want, they will never turn that screen off. Read more about how much screen time is good for your child here.
For children under the age of 4, screen time should be virtually non-existent or at least as little as possible. Children under the age of 4 learn most from activities in which they do and experience things themselves. Their brains are still developing so much that the intense stimuli of most films and games can have a negative effect on them.
From the age of 4, it is recommended to give screen time a maximum of one hour per day. Please note: this is a maximum. Also make sure that this hour is not consecutive, but divided into shorter periods. This way your child gets rest and has time to process the digital stimuli. And the negative effects on the eyes are also less. To prevent discussions and nagging, it can be useful to set an alarm clock so that your child knows exactly when the time is up. Be consistent with these limits to ensure a balanced distribution between screen time and other activities.
6. Discuss device usage
Have conversations with your child about their use of digital devices. Explain why boundaries are necessary and discuss the content they consume. This not only promotes their understanding and respect for rules, but also encourages critical thinking and media literacy from an early age.
Many children’s apps also contain advertisements or in-game purchases. Try to explain to your child what these are and why he or she cannot/may not click on them. For example, explain that you would rather spend the money on nice food or to do fun things together.
Another risk of device use is downloading apps. You can explain to your child that he or she cannot just download apps and that he or she should always ask first. There are also criminals who make apps and can steal things from your phone. In this way, you can already start warning about the dangers of the digital world in children’s language.
In summary
Mobile phones and tablets have become an indispensable part of our lives, they are super useful and fun, but can also be very addictive and have a negative impact on the development of children. That is why it is important to teach your child to use devices wisely, and this starts at a young age. By making good agreements and rules around the use of devices and guiding your child in the digital world, you can teach healthy screen habits.