Media & Today's Children
Download a printable PDF version of Common Sense Tips for a Healthy Media Diet for Young Kids
Common Sense Tips for a Healthy Media Diet for Young Kids
Here are some tips that can help you use media to support your child’s development and well-being during their early years:
Set media time limits and stick to them. Limit your child’s screen time to no more than one to two hours per day. Children under the age of two should watch as little TV/videos as possible.
Check media content and ratings at www.commonsensemedia.org to choose media that is age-appropriate and entertaining. You might prerecord high quality shows or movies and let your kids watch them over and over. You may get bored, but your child learns through the repetition.
Location, location, location. No TV or computer in your child’s bedroom. Research shows that when media is located in kids’ bedrooms, its negative influence on their development is greater.
Watch and listen with your kids. Ask questions such as, who was your favorite character? What was it about her/him that you liked? Which character would you like to be? You can also encourage your child to sing, clap, jump around, and dance with the characters.
Use media to spark your child’s imagination and creativity. You can ask questions like: if you wrote the story, how would you change the ending? Would you add new characters? What would they look or act like? Also encourage your child to make up his/her own stories. You can make a book out of her/his drawings and write down the story.
Help your child understand fantasy from reality. Explain that children often imitate their favorite media characters. Remind your child that real people can’t do things that cartoon characters or superheroes can—like jumping off buildings or falling out of a tree—without getting hurt.
Point out that violence isn’t a good way to solve problems. Offer nonviolent ideas of how to resolve problems if you’re watching a show with characters that solve arguments by hurting people. Ask your child if s/he has any ideas.
Help your child avoid buying in to commercialism. Young kids cannot distinguish between ads and program content. Help kids differentiate between commercials and programs, and help them understand that the purpose of an advertisement is to sell a product. You can also explain that advertisements often exaggerate the quality of the product to make it more appealing.
Balance electronic media with playtime— push the remote button to “off” and encourage your kids to go outside and be active.
Read to your child and go to the library. It’s the best way you can build their literacy skills and help them establish a love of books.
Download a printable PDF version of Common Sense Tips for a Healthy Media Diet for Young Kids
