Balancing Technology

July 8, 2020

Balancing Technology in the Lives of Children and Youth

Technology has become an ever more prominent part of our lives in the midst of a pandemic. It has served as the principal mode of communication among friends and family members over the past months and allowed us to stay connected in a time of isolation. It also shifted the way we think about where and how to accomplish work, as well as spurred many of us to reimagine the future of education of our children and youth. Despite the many benefits, we will need to proceed with caution as we plan for the future, particularly when it comes to the healthy growth and development of our youngest children. A recent study conducted by researchers from Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center discovered that excessive screen use among preschoolers ages 3 to 5 resulted in “lower microstructural integrity of white matter tracts in parts of the brain that support language and literacy skills.” The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends a restriction on screen use for children ages 2-5 to one hour per day of high-quality programming, co-viewed with a parent or caregiver. Beyond the age of 5 years, the AAP recommends families create a plan that reflects personalization and balance.

What should we, as parents, caregivers, and educators, consider as we develop plans for the future?

Time in Nature

The benefits of time spent in nature are extensive, including reduced stress, increased ability to focus and think creatively, and increased physical activity. For more information on the benefits, read on here and here. For guidance on spending time outdoors safely during a pandemic, visit REI’s #RecreateResponsibly here. Download the AllTrails app to discover hiking trails in the area, visit Bloomfield Hills Schools E.L. Johnson Nature Center (or parks and nature centers in your area), or head out into your own backyard!

Play

Play is essential to healthy child development. Play cultivates cognitive growth, creative thinking, confidence, independence, social skills, and physical fitness. Families can encourage opportunities ripe for play by providing loose parts, engaging in play through music, dance, games, or physical activities as a family, spurring pretend play with materials and stories, heading outside, and allowing for boredom to spark creative ideas. See this resource from the Harvard Graduate School of Education or this one from the AAP for more on the benefits and ideas for encouraging playful learning at home. Don’t think play is just reserved for children. Youth and adults can benefit, too!

Social-Emotional Learning

Social-emotional learning (SEL) is core to healthy, whole child development. While time in nature and play support SEL, consideration to creating and maintaining personal connections with others is also critical to children and youth’s overall well-being. Families will need to seek creative ways to do so and this resource, as well as this one, can help. For families with young children, see this resource from the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). Also integral to social-emotional development and learning is talking about race and preventing and responding to prejudice. Both this resource and this guide can support families in doing so.

Literacy

Daily opportunities to engage children and youth in literacy set them up for success. Opportunities for children and youth to read independently and with parents and caregivers can reap benefits well into the future. This resource from the Harvard Graduate School of Education can support families in raising strong readers. Read this article to help you select books for young children that are diverse and culturally responsive.

As we make decisions regarding our plans for the fall, these recommendations will help guide a community-based approach that best serves the developmental needs of our children and youth so they thrive despite the challenges we currently face.

Brooke Larm

Farm- and Nature-Based Educator

Parent of a 4th Grader

Photos:

My son on a Zoom call with classmates this spring and at E.L. Johnson Nature Center skipping with joy before it closed down for several months. He would say our best learning happened hands-on and outdoors during this time of crisis.

Additional Resources:

• Technology and Interactive Media as Tools in Early Childhood Programs Serving Children from Birth Through Age 8 - A Joint Position Statement by NAEYC and the Fred Rodgers Institute (Key Messages from Statement)
• Children and Media Tips - The American Academy of Pediatrics
• Media Use in School-Aged Children and Adolescents - The Council on Communications and Media
• Family Media Plan - The American Academy of Pediatrics