How To Encourage Good Screen Practices for your child.

We are used to talking about screen time, but it’s important to focus on good screen practices for younger children and how we go about this.

Screen practices can best be described as what your child does when they are using screens and when they are watching television, playing a game, connecting with family or exploring online. Good screen practices for young children centre on the quality and nature of their activity online, as well as parents and carers modelling good screen habits.

It can be easy to focus only on the clock, but good screen practices are just as important when it comes to the overall health and wellbeing of children, especially younger children.

Quality Content & what is this exactly??

Sometimes it’s quality not quantity that matters most !

Many of us have used screens as a mode of ‘set and forget’ parenting that allows us to get on with our busy lives. You might put on your child’s favourite TV show or let them browse YouTube while you cook dinner. But it’s also important to consider the quality of what they are watching and engaging with online.

Quality is different for everyone. As a family you need to work out what quality screen time is for you and your children and how much variety you want to add and how you want to inject this into your child’s practices.

Depending on their age, you could suggest they search for different things or help them type different search terms, or you could turn to trusted providers of safe and high-quality children’s programming and online content. Look for programs and games that foster values of friendship and respect and provide opportunities for learning. Spending more time on a game or app that involves actively making something rather than repetitive actions may help to promote creativity.

Good sources to use for how to change your family screen practices and give you are ideas are:

http://startingblocks.gov.au

http://raisingchildrensnetwork.com.au

At Bumblebee http://www.bumblebeechildcare.com we have a no screen policy as we feel its best for families to make the decision on how much screen time and what they want their child to view.

Other Useful links

Online safety basics — getting the basics right for preschoolers, kids and teenagers.

Are they old enough? — when is your child ready for online access, their own smartphone or social networking?

Good habits start young — build digital intelligence and help your child act responsibly online.

Taming the technology — using parental controls and other tools to maximise the online safety of your home.

Privacy and your child — protecting your child’s personal information online.