Experts recommend no screen time for babies till the age of two. But in today’s world, cell phones, TVs, tablets or laptops have become such an integral part of our lives that it’s hard to keep your baby away from them completely.
If you decide to let your baby or toddler play with your device, consider the following:
- Limit screen time to 15 or 20 minutes at a time. Too much screen time may be harmful for babies and children, even at a very young age.
- Always check what kind of content your baby is viewing and listening or playing with. Choose games and apps appropriate for her age.
- Stay close while she uses your cell phone, tablet or laptop. Make sure charging cords aren’t close by or plugged in during use.
- Babies are too small to realize that the device is expensive. They might throw it away, just like they would play with a ball. So be cautious they doesn’t accidentally damage anything.
- Ensure that your baby doesn’t hold the mobile, laptop or tablet too close to her eyes. This might cause unnecessary strain to her eyes at such a young age.
- Make sure your baby doesn’t have access to any emails, messages or photos. It’s quite common for babies to accidentally delete things while playing on a device.
Screen time can be productive and help your baby and toddler learn new skills. So you can use it positively. But always keep the following in mind:
Screen time encourages a more sedentary lifestyle
Babies should be encouraged to explore the world physically and toddlers need to be active for three hours a day to grow healthily.
Time spent playing with a tablet or smartphone means your baby is not crawling, walking, climbing and exploring her environment.
Even at this very young age, being active means your child is less likely to become overweight or have health problems later in life. As your child grows, having too much screen time may also cause her sleeping difficulties.
Physical play contributes to your child’s mental and emotional development. Playing with mud and splashing water may be messy, but it’s part of learning how the world works.
Your baby also needs the chance to interact with you and other children, which is crucial for learning to talk and relate to people.
Devices may harbour harmful germs
Mobiles, laptops and hand held devices may have more germs on them than most everyday items. If your baby touches or chews on the device she can pick up germs.
Small parts pose a choking risk
The many parts of a cell phone, tablet or laptop can also be hazardous. Some phones have buttons that could pose a choking risk if they came off. Laptop keys can come off easily, or your phone can break off into pieces if thrown and the jagged edges could hurt your child.
As your child gets older and becomes more likely to benefit from technology, it’s still important to make sure that screen time does not cut into your child’s opportunities for active, creative play and socialising.
For alternative ways to distract your little one, check out our fantastic baby games and toddler games.
Reviewed by Dr Saroja Balan, BabyCenter India’s expert paediatrician.
