4 Consequences of Allowing Too Much Screen Time
4 Consequences of Allowing Too Much Screen Time
We can’t live without our electronics, especially our phones. Toddlers who spend too much time on screens may become obese, have trouble sleeping, or develop chronic neck and back issues in the future.
Even though there’s mounting evidence of the harmful effects of screen time on both adults and children, most parents don’t outright refuse to allow their toddler to use their smartphone or watch TV. Your family’s health can be improved by reducing the amount of time spent in front of screens. You can encourage healthy electronic use, encourage other activities, and prohibit screens in bedrooms to help cut down on your family’s screen time. In this article, we’ll share how much screen time is too much for toddlers due to its negative effects on their early physical and mental development.
1. Disruptive Cognitive Ability
The impact of excessive screen time on one’s mental health is among its most terrifying effects. Toddlers can’t engage in any cognitive processing because of the passive nature of content consumption from a screen. And let’s not forget that children learn in a very two-dimensional way on screens. Toddlers should use all five of their senses to learn about their environment; screens only stimulate sight and sound. Lastly, younger children are unable to express themselves clearly and tell you what they want and don’t want. And screen time doesn’t help.
2. Poor Sleep
Toddlers who are growing need plenty of sleep, but screens are constantly stimulating if used right before bed. TVs shouldn’t be permitted in bedrooms to help solve the problem. When the sun goes down, humans’ circadian rhythms and the production of melatonin, the sleep hormone, begin. But blue light prevents melatonin production, which keeps your toddler up at night. Watching TV or playing video games keeps their bodies and minds awake, active, and less sleep-ready.
3. Delayed Learning
Your toddler’s ability to learn may be impacted by the alteration of the brain’s structure brought on by too much screen time. There’s a widespread misconception that by allowing our toddlers to watch educational programs, we can teach them English or another Mother Tongue language. However, until they are at least 2.5 years old, they don’t learn effectively from virtual programs. These programmes hardly ever encourage children to try speaking on their own too. The best way to educate children may not be to allow them to watch educational programmes but through active exploration, socialising with other kids, and being outdoors.
4. Weakened Social Skills
Toddlers learn social behaviour and emotionally mature through play and interaction. The area of the brain called the frontal lobe aids in social navigation by allowing us to read nonverbal cues and comprehend the vocal tones and facial expressions of others. The frontal lobe’s growth is hampered when toddlers spend more time on their screens than interacting with others in real life. They may find it difficult to distinguish between the real world and the virtual one as a result, which causes them to act passively in real life just as they do on their screens.
We don’t have many real-life interactions when we are preoccupied with what is happening on the screen, making using digital devices a largely solitary activity. Increased antisocial behaviour and feelings of withdrawal might result from this. Toddlers in particular miss out on this priceless chance to grow crucial social skills through playing with friends when they spend too much screen time on their electronic devices.
It would be nearly impossible to live without our digital devices at this point because they have become such an integral part of our daily lives. Moderation is key. There are circumstances in which screen time is beneficial, but it’s important to distinguish between what is acceptable and what is not.
Toddlers are known for picking things up at light speed, so it’s essential to check the calibre of the media they typically consume. One type of educational content that experts support is open-ended apps. Open-ended apps are preferable to linear ones that limit toddlers to following a predetermined order of events because they encourage kids’ creativity and spirit of exploration and, in some cases, even allow for role-playing. Such games include sandbox ones that let kids create a world or landscape in their image or even ones that require simple coding.
Experts have cited our Infant & Toddler Programme “Experiential Learning” as one of the most fascinating, interesting, and efficient ways to learn new concepts. Experiential Learning is used as the primary approach for infants and toddlers in Mulberry Learning’s infant care programme, allowing them to grow and learn through their reflections and experiences. As they move through our exquisitely designed learning spaces and learn how to play with vintage toys, musical instruments, and textural materials, kids are encouraged to be expressive mini-explorers.
Mulberry Learning prides itself on making the preschool experience both memorable and enjoyable while transforming a child into a competent explorer, an imaginative thinker, and a creative problem solver. Through our proprietary award-winning curriculum, unique Habits of Mind programme and dedicated staff who are passionate about imparting positive attitudes, Mulberry Learning holds strong in its promise to deliver a holistic education that nurtures the Future Ready Child.
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