Toddlers and touchscreens – what research tells us
Before your toddler was born did you tell yourself they wouldn't use an iPad until they were at least five – only to realise that a game or scroll through photos can be a sanity-saver when you’re busy? Your toddler using tech might be something you feel judged for – and headlines can be scary – but, what does research show?
The Centre for Brain and Cognitive Development (Babylab) at Birkbeck, University of London is home to the TABLET (Toddler Attentional Behaviours Learning with Touchscreens) project.
Scientists involved in this project are studying how touchscreen use influences toddlers’ development.[1]
A mixed picture – good for fine motor skills – not great for sleep?
In a 2016 study, researchers asked parents when their toddler had started scrolling a touchscreen, and when they first stacked blocks.
They found a link between scrolling and stacking – and it showed that technology might be a positive here. Toddlers who used a touchscreen seemed to be able to stack blocks before those who hadn’t.
This link might show that scrolling a touchscreen supports the development of fine motor skills. In this study, parents were also asked about gross motor and language skills and they didn’t find a link (either positive or negative) between these skills and using a touchscreen.[2]
But different research, involving 715 parents, found that (on average) toddlers who use a touchscreen every day sleep for less time at night, for longer in the day and take longer to get to sleep.[3]
What should I do? Finding your way through the guidelines and research
Guidelines about screen use are based on research into passively watching TV or computer game research, which makes them confusing for parents who want to know about simple interactive screen use!
The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health suggests families have screen time limits based on children’s individual needs.[4]
So, for you this means thinking about your own toddler. Does a scroll through the photos on your phone get them chatting? Do they become so engrossed in the game on the iPad that you can’t get them to do anything else?
Set some expectations or limits for your family around what works for you, and don’t let other peoples’ judgement make you question that.
For now, the evidence is mixed, so don’t feel bad about your toddler sometimes playing on a touchscreen, and when there is more research, we’ll let you know!
References:
[1] Cinelab (undated) Tablet Project. https://www.cinelabresearch.com/tablet-project
[2] Bedford, R., Saez de Urbain, I.R., Cheung, C.H.M., Karmiloff-Smith, A. & Smith, T.J. (2016). ‘Toddlers’ fine motor milestone achievement is associated with early touchscreen scrolling’. Frontiers in Psychology, 7:1108.
[3] Cheung, C.H.M, Bedford, R., Saez de Urbain, I., Karmiloff-Smith, A. & Smith, T.J. (2017). ‘Daily touchscreen use in infants and toddlers is associated with reduced sleep and delayed sleep onset’. Scientific Reports, 7:46104.
[4] Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (2019). ‘The Health impacts of screen time: a guide for clinicians and parents’. Available at https://www.rcpch.ac.uk/resources/health-impacts-screen-time-guide-clinicians-parents#downloadBox