Screen Sense—developed in partnership with leading researchers in the field of media and young children—describes what is known at this time about the effect of screen media on young children’s learning and development.
We hope this executive summary, with the help of the Screen Sense Parent Resources, will serve as a useful tool in guiding parents and professionals in making mindful, informed decisions about screen media use with children from zero to 3. If caregiving adults choose to make screen media a part of children’s lives, they can apply the research such that screen experiences harness, not harm, the potential for young children’s learning and development.
This executive summary covers key topics related to children’s early learning and screen experiences, including:
- Why very young children sometimes struggle to learn from screen media (the “transfer deficit”)
- The influence of parent screen use on children’s learning (“technoference”)
- Key ingredients to consider when making media decisions for children (The “3 C’s”):
- The Content
- The Context
- The Child
- Key components of screen media content that support early learning (the “E-AIMS”), meaning content that is…
- Engaging;
- Actively Involves the child;
- Meaningful; and
- Social Interactive.
Read the Screen Sense report in its entirety here. There are also a range of additional resources that are available for parents and professionals that highlight key findings from the report.
