Tech in Balance: Navigating Screen Time in Nursery for Toddlers.

Contrary to popular belief, there is no real research that proves or even suggests a comprehensive or definitive link between screen time and the development of a young brain. We can agree that too much screen time can impact a child’s concentration and can affect the way they communicate and display emotions. 

However, the reality is that spending time around technology is unlikely to have a significant detrimental effect on their development. The emphasis here is on what too much screen time is. 

Involving physical play with peers and time spent outside, educational screen time and access to online resources can help to support early learning. It can also help children understand different concepts, literacy, and communication when balanced against other activities.

Some of the activities that many nursery workers plan for include images that children interact with. Online video clips and images help enhance the learning experience because they bring the topic or story to life.

Moreover, screen time can help develop language skills both at home and in the nursery setting It encourages children to continue to engage with different words and interactions even when they are not with their friends or family members.

So, how can we use screen time and technology to our benefit in a nursery setting?

Online programs and activities designed for children of nursery age can be incredibly beneficial. They tap into some of the skills and lessons that they need to learn at a young age, engagingly and memorably.

Striking the right balance between fun and education, these programs are often short and make for a good downtime option as part of a varied nursery routine.

Technology also helps our nursery team find new and inspiring ways of combining fun and learning for the benefit of children. Many of our innovative games and activities are derived from ideas that we see online. We can access things like recipes, activity guidelines, and more from the internet.

Finally, screen time and technology are what allow us to keep parents in the loop. Parents can stay connected with their children and the nursery throughout the day. From image uploads to regular updates and news bulletins, we would only be able to offer the same connected experience for the whole My Ohana family with technology in the nursery setting.

Screen time when formulated with a nursery setting in mind, can be an incredibly powerful tool that supports our children, the nursery team, and extended families.

Here are a few tips we follow every day to help control screen time. You can use these at home too.

·        Remember that regardless of where you are, you need to set an example. If you constantly have your face hidden on a mobile device, your child will perceive this as the norm. Balance is something that we exercise at nursery and should also become a part of our routine at home.

·        Engage with online resources together ensuring that the screen becomes a supplementary resource rather than the sole source of information and interaction.

·        Monitor the time spent on screens and break it up with regular time outside.

We hope this helps and delivers some insight into how we approach screentime and technology at the My Ohana group of nurseries!