How Screen Time Affects Your Child’s Brain?

Smartphone usage has been increasing year after year and has made humans inseparable with mobile devices, televisions, and digital screens. Children these days have access to a variety of devices.

The real question is, can technology from a young age help the children to expand their learning boundaries through educational applications and learning tutorials? There is a thin line between entertainment and over-consumption of the content. Parents have always been concerned regarding the screen time of their children, who are glued to the smartphones and they get angry when restricted on smartphone usage. A study shows that an average American child is spending an average of 7 hours a day in front of electronic screens. The statistics are surprising and calls for immediate action to restrict long hours on screens.

Dopamine is a chemical found in the human brain which controls our emotional responses. Smartphones provide instant dopamine release and a sense of gratification that make screen addiction a tough one to break.  This addiction comes with consequences like mood swings, an underdeveloped brain, anger, and short temper. If you as a parent are thinking to buy a digital device for your kids to provide an educational glimpse of the future, you need to decide the routine and set definite boundaries on the usage.

The human the brain develops until the age of 25 and being continuously glued to a smartphone or a screen can hinder natural growth. The critical period from birth to adulthood requires a lot of physical and psychological activities which helps us to shape our perception, logic, creativity, and thinking.

The best tip to balance natural brain growth while exploring educational content within technology, requires setting up clear boundaries and expectations. There are many applications on which you can set a screen or application timer which will close the app automatically after a certain amount of usage. If your child still wants to learn, socialize with other people and be part of a community, there is nothing better than a day-care centre which will help them naturally grow and make new friends.

Childventures early childhood education programs foster healthy development and encourage a love of learning. We use a diverse and comprehensive curriculum that takes the best of three world-renowned teaching methods - High Scope®, Core Knowledge® and the Montessori Method.

To learn more and to enrol your child visit www.childventures.ca or call 905.332.7539