While plenty of screen time for kids is not recommended, a new study has found that the use of digital technology can help in a child's development.
In the study "Toddlers, Tech, and Talk," researchers examined how digital technology influenced early talk and literacy in children aged 0 to 3. It also examined how parents used digital technology and devices with their children.
Researchers found that a young child's digital activity often involves "sensory exploration through touch, vision, hearing, movement, and embodied cognition." This means children are feeling and moving when engaging with digital media content, the report said.
Digital Technology's Effects on Children's Development
The researchers also noted that some families also involve their children in video calls with relatives living in different areas. These provide children with "rich opportunities" to learn words and phrases from across languages, especially in multilingual households. They also give them the chance to learn about the cultures of those living in different countries, which, in turn, develops the child's ability to switch between languages.
Many parents added that their children, aged under three, learned how to sign using online apps such as Sing and Sign.
Furthermore, children who were too young to have "clear diction" learned how to manipulate smart devices at home by observing their parents.
How Do Parents Use Digital Devices With Their Children?
The researchers also sought to determine what parents and their children do together with digital technology. The most popular activities cited were watching TV shows or films for kids, taking photographs, watching videos on YouTube, playing games, and playing music.
For instance, some parents said they used smart speakers to play and practice animal sounds or nursery rhymes with their children.
A small percentage of parents said they used digital devices to read books or listen to children's audiobooks with their kids.
The study was done through an online survey of over 1,400 parents across the United Kingdom, interviews with parents and early years professionals, and intensive case studies.
The research was funded by the Economic and Social Research Council. Researchers from the Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU) led the study.
