4 Tips to Limit Your Preschooler’s Screen Time at Home
In today’s digital age, screen time and children seem to go hand in hand. Screens offer educational opportunities, but too much of anything can be harmful. Limiting screens at home fosters an environment for healthy development. These tips and tricks will help you limit screen time for your toddler.
1. Use Screens for Educational Purposes
It’s common for a preschool to utilize iPads or SMART boards to enhance learning. In fact, 79% of educators report daily device use in their classrooms, according to Kajeet. Parents can adopt this strategy at home by ensuring children’s screen time is educational. For example, putting on an appropriate and educational TV show or allowing your child to play an educational game on a screen is constructive.
2. Be a Role Model
Preschool children often look up to their parents and want to be like them. Set a good example by reading a book instead of watching television. Engage more with your little one away from screens. You may invest in a new outdoor activity to get the entire family out of the house. Children who see everyone else having fun without screens will likely follow suit.
3. Plan Activities
Preschoolers may want to watch TV when they feel bored. To avoid this, plan activities throughout the day, such as playing with clay or painting together. Take them on a hike or head to the park for the day. Ensure they have a variety of stimulating toys. They can pretend they’re a chef in a toy kitchen, create chalk houses for dolls on the driveway, or simply color in a coloring book while listening to music.
4. Set Rules
Formulating ground rules is essential when you want to limit screen time in your home. For example, if you’d like to limit screen time for your toddler to one hour a day, make sure they understand this rule. You can also create screen-free zones, such as their playroom and their bedroom. You may enforce the rule that screen time is supervised, too.
As a private preschool, we understand the many benefits of screens when it comes to learning. The teachers at Key Point Academy Brickell strike a happy balance in their classrooms. Contact us to learn more about enrolling your little one.