Screen Time Higher Than Ever for Children

Screen Time Higher Than Ever for Children By TAMAR LEWIN

Published: October 25, 2011

Is having a 2 or 3 year old play with apps on a ipad or iphone really educational to them? Not only do children sit in front of the t.v for countless hours, but now the idea of educational apps for kids is out there. Parents download these free educational apps for their toddler to play with. "The app gap is a big deal and a harbinger of the future," said James Steyer, chief executive of Common Sense Media. She has surveyed 1,384 parents this spring for her study. "It's the beginning of an important shift, as parents increasingly are handing their iPhones to their 1 ½-year-old kid as a shut-up toy" she said. Kids see their parents check their e-mail or text messages numorous times on the way to the car or even driving. It's only natural the kids want to use mobile devices like their parents. The study found that fully half of children under 8 had access to a mobile device like a smartphone, a video iPod, or an iPad or other tablet. Kids see what their parents do and want to be like them so when that child does get to use the phone he/she copies what they see. They learn how to unlock it, how to get to the game, and even what game is for them to play with. Is it really educational no one really knows but it has been proven kids do lean how to use them.

Lewin, Tamar. "Screen Time Higher than Ever for Children." Web. 2011

Newyorktimes.com

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