If you read the title and raised an eyebrow, that’s completely normal.
In recent years, parents have rightly been encouraged to limit the amount of time children spend in front of screens. But there’s a question too few people ask:
Is all screen time the same?
The answer is simple, though fairly nuanced: no.
There’s a huge difference between a child passively watching cartoons for an hour and one taking part in an educational activity that requires thinking, answering questions, and solving problems. And this difference is backed up by recommendations from some of the most important medical organizations.
The problem isn’t the screen. The problem is what’s happening on the screen.
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), one of the most important pediatric organizations in the world, has changed the way it talks about screen time in recent years.
Where the focus used to be almost entirely on the number of minutes, specialists today recommend that parents pay much more attention to the quality of the content, the child’s level of engagement, and the context in which the technology is used.
In other words…
Not all screen time is harmful.
What does a child actually do during a chess lesson?
Let’s imagine two situations.
Scenario 1
The child watches videos for 40 minutes.
Watches.
Laughs.
Moves on to the next clip.
And another one.
Their participation is minimal.
Scenario 2
The child takes part in an online chess lesson.
The teacher asks:
“Where can the knight move?”
“Is the king in danger?”
“What’s the best move?”
The child has to:
- observe;
- listen;
- answer;
- solve problems;
- make decisions;
- remember rules.
Not just watching.
Actively participating.
Chess isn’t just chess
At 4-6 years old, a child isn’t learning complicated openings or championship strategies.
They’re learning much more important things:
- to pay attention;
- to follow instructions;
- to be patient;
- to notice details;
- to think step by step.
These skills will help them at school and in many other activities too.
What do the studies say?
There’s a widespread myth:
“Any time spent on a screen is harmful.”
The reality is more nuanced.
An analysis published in JAMA Pediatrics found that not all types of screen time are linked to worse academic outcomes. The type of activity and the content being consumed matter a great deal. Educational activities and parental involvement can have very different effects compared to passive entertainment consumption.
At the same time, AAP recommendations emphasize that parents should choose content that is:
- educational;
- high quality;
- interactive;
- age-appropriate.
More important than counting the minutes is the question:
“What is my child actually doing in front of the screen?” (Wikipedia)
But don’t studies also say too much screen time can be harmful?
Yes, they do.
And it’s important to say so.
Excessive screen exposure, especially during certain stages of childhood, can be associated with weaker academic performance and reduced working memory. (New York Post)
But that same research doesn’t say that any use of screens is harmful.
Specialists draw a distinction between:
- passive consumption;
- excessive use;
- educational and interactive activities.
And that distinction is essential.
A benefit many parents discover after the first lesson
Online lessons remove a lot of stress.
There’s no more:
- traffic;
- driving across town;
- rushing after school;
- time wasted in the car.
Instead, the child learns from a familiar environment, where they feel safe and can concentrate more easily.
“But what if they don’t like it?”
Many parents draw conclusions after just one lesson.
In reality, at this age a child needs a few sessions to understand what it’s all about and to discover whether they truly enjoy it.
The takeaway
No, this article isn’t saying we should let children spend hours on a phone or tablet.
It’s saying something much simpler.
Not all screen minutes are equal.
An hour of passively watching videos is not the same as an hour spent training a child’s attention, thinking, patience, and problem-solving skills.
So before asking:
“How much screen time does my child get?”
maybe we should first ask:
“What is my child actually doing during that screen time?”
More often than not, the answer to that question is what really makes the difference.