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The Project Approach for All Learners

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project approach; project-based learning; child-led learning; child-directed curriculum; engagement; early childhood; universal
design for learning; inclusion

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Brookes Publishing: The Project Approach for All Learners

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Resources on the project approach

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The Illinois Early Learning Project provides support, resources, and information for teachers, specialists, administrators, and trainers interested in the implementation of the Project Approach in classrooms for preschool children.

A project is an in-depth investigation of a topic undertaken by a class, a group of children, or an individual child in an early childhood classroom or at home.
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The Project Approach...

is a method of teaching in which an in-depth study of a particular topic is conducted by a child or a group of children.

is incorporated into the curriculum but does not always constitute the entire curriculum.

helps young children meet the Illinois Early Learning and Development Standards.

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The Illinois Early Learning Project provides support, resources, and information for teachers, specialists, administrators, and trainers interested in the implementation of the Project Approach in classrooms for preschool children. A project is an in-depth investigation of a topic undertaken by a class, a group of children, or an individual child in an early childhood classroom or at home.

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A quick tutorial to get you started

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Approaches to Effective Learning Across Five Stats - A New America Report

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Report - Extracting Success - New America 2018

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Decoding STEM/STEAM

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The LEGO® 'Play Well Report' surveyed nearly 13,000 parents and children in nine countries to understand the state of play today and encourage discussion around its ongoing importance. . Alarmingly, one in five children (17%) say they are too busy for play, with four out of five (81%) wishing their parents would play with them more.The report reveals that the increased integration of digital layers doesn't come at the expense of more traditional shared play, as most children (81%) still prefer playing with their parents than alone, and three in four (72%) prefer to play with friends in the same room rather than online.Despite pressing concerns, parents are however showing signs of adopting their children's mindset with over half (59%) believing technology can bring the family closer together, and three in four (77%) believing digital play can be creative. The power of play to help children learn is indisputable for parents. Almost all (95%) believe play is essential for children's wellbeing and a vital educational tool. Four in five (82%) think that children who play more will be more successful in future studies and work.Parents also rank playful learning (76%) as the number one educational technique, over reading books (67%), classroom teaching (55%), interacting with friends (65%) and surfing the internet (22%). More importantly, four in five (83%) children agree they learn better when play is involved. Adults and children equally feel the benefits of playing together. Parents say play is good for their own well-being (91%) and happiness (72%) and that it even helps them feel more relaxed (86%) and connected to their children (64%). Almost all children surveyed say play makes them feel happy (93%) and helps them relax after a long day at school (87%).Inspired by the findings, the report suggests 10 principles for families to consider when playing together. These include encouraging less structured play, embracing mistakes and gamifying household chores.

The report reveals a strong link between the hours spent playing together and the happiness of families, with nine out of 10 families (88%) who play for five hours or more a week claiming to be happy, while, of those who play for less than five hours, only seven out of 10 (75%) say they are happy.
Playtime is being squeezed however, with nearly a third (30%) of families spending less than five hours playing together every week. One in 10 (10%) play for less than two hours.
Even when families do get together to play, six in 10 (61%) parents admit they tend to get distracted by life's other demands, such as work, house chores and their ever-present smartphones

Family expert and author, Jessica Joelle Alexander, says:

The report draws out a generational shift in play patterns and the concerns that come with these changes. While parents still worry about the safety and sociability of digital play - 88% being concerned about online safety and 72% fearing technology makes children less able to think for themselves - the report reveals the next generation is teaching us all to embrace the unique opportunities that technology brings.
Children themselves are pioneering a new type of 'Fluid Play' where they naturally engage in play that seamlessly blends real world, imaginary and digital experiences. To them it is simply

The full LEGO Play Well Report 2018, including market findings, can be viewed

"Playing together is a fundamental cornerstone of family life for children and parents alike. But with modern lifestyles busier than ever and so much emphasis on formal education and structured activities, it can be easy to forget to make time for it. Given the positive effects it has on our wellbeing and happiness levels, family play should be the most important 'homework' of all."
playDr Elena Hoicka, Senior Lecturer in Psychology in Education at the University of Bristol, says: " While many parents feel their children's preference for digital play is getting in the way of what they see as better, typically more traditional activities, the truth is the two don't have to be mutually exclusive. More than previous generations, kids today see the digital and real worlds as part of one big, interconnected play space. To make the most of their time playing together, parents need to adopt this fluid mindset too."

Julia Goldin, LEGO Group CMO, says: "The beauty of play is that it evolves and changes with each generation, yet its benefits remain constant. This report shows that digitalisation is providing more opportunities for immersive play. We will continue to evolve LEGO play to seamlessly integrate digital and physical experiences for kids to ensure that they can continue to benefit from playful learning. Play continues to be essential for children and we have a role in helping parents to provide the best possible experiences for their kids and to protect and prioritise play time."
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For more information, please contact: media@LEGO.com.

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Playing together makes families happier, closer and less stressed - but over a third (38%) admit they struggle to prioritise playtime due to hectic daily schedules of both parents and their children, according to a new report released by the LEGO Group today.

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American Academy of Pediatrics

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Technology and Digital Media in the Early Years

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Technology and Digital Media in the Early Years

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Making and Tinkering with STEM by Cate Heroman

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Making and Tinkering with STEM by Cate Heroman

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Making and Tinkering With STEM: Solving Design Challenges With Young Children

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Learn more about Making and Tinkering with STEM

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Family Creative Learning is a model for multi-generational hands-on family engagement designed to support science and literacy development among children and families. Designed for use in community based settings, these resources include multi-session sequenced experiences that are built to be modular and flexible enough to be adaptable to the wide variety of communities and contexts that they might be used in. All of the resources come packed with full activity plans, supporting materials for facilitators, links to related video and digital media, and additional take-home materials to support ongoing family engagement.

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Through the Ready To Learn (RTL) Initiative, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), PBS, and local PBS stations provide free, evidence-based educational resources that help teachers, caregivers and parents build early science and literacy skills for America's children, especially those from low-income communities. This U.S.

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Preschool Teachers Are Scared of Teaching  STEM

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Preschool Teachers Are Scared of Teaching  STEM

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Many preschool teachers are scared of teaching STEM. Here's a solution that might help

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Everyone knows that 3-, 4- and 5-year-olds ask a lot of questions. But that unrestrained curiosity can unsettle preschool teachers who feel they lack sufficient understanding of science, technology, engineering and math, often referred to as STEM. Hari Sreenivasan reports from Chicago on efforts to boost science learning among some of the youngest students by boosting teacher confidence.

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Coding as a Playground: Programming and Computational Thinking in the Early Childhood Classroom

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Coding as a Playground is the first book to focus on how young children (ages 7 and under) can engage in computational thinking and be taught to become computer programmers, a process that can increase both their cognitive and social-emotional skills. Readers will learn how coding can engage chil...

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Tech and Young Children Resources from NAEYC

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Tech and Young Children Resources from NAEYC

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Technology and Young Children: Online Resources and Position Statement

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Read key messages from the joint position statement and related resources on the Technology and Young Children

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Center for Childhood Creativity at Bay Area Discovery Museum

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The Center for Childhood Creativity (CCC)-the research and advisory division of the Bay Area Discovery Museum (BADM)-is the missing link between academic research and adults' work with children ages 0-10. CCC provides advisory services and develops resources for organizations and companies seeking evidence-based expertise in children's creativity development.

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Early Learning and Family Engagement in the Digital Age

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Early Learning and Family Engagement in the Digital Age

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Lifelong Kindergarten, Mitch Resnick. MIT

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How lessons from kindergarten can help everyone develop the creative thinking skills needed to thrive in today’s society.In kindergartens these days, children spend more time with math worksheets and phonics flashcards than building blocks and finger paint. Kindergarten is becoming more like the res…

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which is why we assembled the Early Childhood STEM Working Group that includes scholars, policymakers, curriculum developers, and educators from around the United States who share a vision and goal for universal access to high-quality, developmentally appropriate STEM education for preschool children.

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Tomorrow's inventors and scientists are today's curious young children-as long as those children are given ample chances to explore and are guided by adults equipped to support them. STEM Starts Early is the culmination of a deep inquiry supported by the National Science Foundation that aims to better understand the challenges to and opportunities in STEM learning as documented in a review of early childhood education research, policy, and practice and encourages collaboration between pivotal sectors to implement and sustain needed changes. The report features research by the FrameWorks Institute on some common misconceptions around early STEM learning, and how reframing the conversation can help the public overcome these often problematic ways of thinking, leading to a greater understanding of the importance of prioritizing and investing in STEM learning opportunities for all children.

S TEM Starts Early provides key recommendations for education leaders, researchers, and policymakers across the country to improve opportunities for children to become confident learners in science, technology, engineering and math.

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STEM Starts Early: Grounding Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math Education in Early Childhood

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Tomorrow's inventors and scientists are today's curious young children-as long as those children are given ample chances to explore and are guided by adults equipped to support them. STEM Starts Early is the culmination of a deep inquiry supported by the National Science Foundation that aims to bett

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Over the past two years, we have heard both enthusiasm for and skepticism about the use of technology in the early childhood field. One area of discussion is the use of technology to reach and support parents and other caregivers of children. Because of technology's potential to engage parents and the many questions surrounding its efficacy, we've decided to focus on this issue. After a comprehensive information gathering and interviewing, we're excited to release the report NextGen Technology: Insights and Recommendations to Support the Parents of Children Ages 0-3 with our insights and recommended action steps.

Please view/download the PDF below.

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NextGen Technology: Insights and Recommendations to Support Parents

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Over the past two years, we have heard both enthusiasm for and skepticism about the use of technology in the early childhood field. One area of discussion is the use of technology to reach and support parents and other caregivers of children.

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ISTE STandards for Teachers 2017 graphic.jpeg

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Putting the T in STEM from Zero to Three

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Putting the T in STEM from Zero to Three

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Babies and young children are accessing and viewing media in new ways now that the majority of American families have mobile and internet-connected devices at home. Smartphones, tablets, and other devices also present new challenges and opportunities for parents introducing media to their kids for the first time.

Combined with the data from the 2011 and 2013 reports, the 2017 Zero to Eight study gives us a clearer view of how young children's media use has evolved over time and provides a foundation for how we can use technology to support children's learning, play, and growth. Take a look at the infographic and read our blog post for highlights.

This research helps us update Common Sense resources with the most useful and relevant information for today's parents, teachers, and leaders. Together we can make media a positive influence in kids' lives -- especially during the first eight years.

Parents: Try these healthy media habits for young kids.
Educators: Learn how teachers can guide kids' media use.
Make a difference: Help protect kids' privacy from the start.
En español: Lee las conclusiones más importantes
Download Our Fact Sheets Exploring the Digital Divide En español Una población particular: los niños menores de dos años This report is part of a series of probability-based surveys documenting media-use patterns among children from birth to age 8 in America. The 2017 survey includes a nationally representative sample of more than 1,400 parents from all regions of the country, from lower- and higher-income families, and representing diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds.
Uso de medios y tecnología de los niños hispanos/latinos
A Special Population: Children Under Two
Hispanic/Latino Children's Media Use

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The Common Sense Census: Media Use by Kids Age Zero to Eight, 2017 | Common Sense Media

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New technologies are changing the way kids interact with media -- even in their earliest years. The 2017 Census builds on previous studies from 2011 and 2013 to reveal how media use among babies and young children has evolved over time.

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By -

Join the Technology in Early Childhood (TEC) Center at Erikson Institute for a one-day symposium, TECPlay: How is children's play impacted by technology? Erikson Institute Technology in Early Childhood Center Symposium on Friday, April 27, 2018 from 8:30am - 3:30 pm.

We are thrilled to announce the keynote speaker is Lydia Plowman, PhD, Fellow of the UK's Academy of Social Sciences and Chair in Education and Technology at the Moray House School of Education, University of Edinburgh, Scotland.
Who should attend?
* formal and informal educators

* technology and digital media developers

* researchers

Join us for a day of connecting the latest early childhood development and technology research to practice. CPDUs will be available.

Speakers

Lydia Plowman, Phd

Keynote Speaker: Professor Lydia Plowman is a Fellow of the UK's Academy of Social Sciences and Chair in Education and Technology at the Moray House School of Education, University of Edinburgh, Scotland. For more than 20 years her research has focused on young children playing and learning with digital media, particularly at home. As well as involving children as active participants in research, she aims to involve family members and educators in such a way that we can gain insights into their practices, values and attitudes and understand more about the ways in which technology is integrated into young children's lives.

David Kleeman

David Kleeman is Senior Vice President of Global Trends for Dubit. David is advisory board chair to the international children's TV festival (Prix Jeunesse) and a board member of the National Association for Media Literacy Education and the Children's Media Association. He is a past Governor of the Television Academy, a 2013 Senior Fellow of the Fred Rogers Center and received the 2014 "Pioneer" Award from Kids @ Play Interactive. For 25 years, he was President of the American Center for Children and Media. He writes extensively for trade and general press, including frequent commentaries for the Huffington Post and Kidscreen.

Laura Zimmerman

Dr. Laura Zimmermann is an IES Postdoctoral Research Fellow in the Child's Play, Learning, and Development Lab at the University of Delaware. Her work with Dr. Roberta Golinkoff and Dr. Kathy Hirsh-Pasek examines strategies to teach spatial skills to preschoolers in concrete and touchscreen puzzle formats as well as the relationship between spatial skills and later math readiness. Laura received her PhD in Psychology at Georgetown University with a concentration in Human Development and Public Policy where she studied how young children transfer learning from touchscreens and develop executive functioning skills. Professionally, she has consulted with organizations including PBS KIDS, New America Education, Joan Ganz Cooney Center, and Reflection Sciences.
Keep checking back here for the agenda and full speaker list.Email us for more information on how to be a part of this important conversation.Email us for more information on how to be a part of this important conversation.

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TECPlay: How is children's play impacted by technology?

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By - Join the Technology in Early Childhood (TEC) Center at Erikson Institute for a one-day symposium, TECPlay: How is children's play impacted by technology? Erikson Institute Technology in Early Childhood Center Symposium on Friday, April 27, 2018 from 8:30am - 3:30 pm.

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NAEYC & Fred Rogers Center Joint Position Statement Resources

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NAEYC & Fred Rogers Center Joint Position Statement Resources

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The Departments recognize that families and early educators have many different options for using technology with early learners. The Departments believe that guidance needs to reflect the reality that families and early educators have access to apps, digital books, games, video chatting software, and a multitude of other interactive technologies that can be used with young children. Even as new technologies emerge, the Departments believe that these principles apply, though guidance may evolve as more research on this topic is published.

The Departments' four guiding principles for use of technology with early learners are as follows:

Guiding Principle #1: Technology-when used appropriately-can be a tool for learning.

Guiding Principle #2: Technology should be used to increase access to learning opportunities for all children.

Guiding Principle #3: Technology may be used to strengthen relationships among parents, families, early educators, and young children.

Guiding Principle #4: Technology is more effective for learning when adults and peers interact or co-view with young children.

Two documents in particular influenced the development of the Departments' guiding principles: Uses of Technology to Support Early Childhood Practice and the 2016 National Education Technology Plan (NETP).

HHS published Uses of Technology to Support Early Childhood Practice⁹ in March 2015 to examine how technology can be used to support and improve the quality of practice of early childhood practitioners, particularly in their own professional development. The report presented an overview of research related to the use of technology by conducting a literature review and consulting with experts on the topic in four key focus areas: 1) instruction and assessment; 2) parent, family, and community engagement; 3) professional development and informal learning; and 4) facilitators and barriers.

At ED, the Office of Educational Technology released the 2016 NETP, the federal government's flagship educational technology policy document. Titled Future Ready Learning: Reimagining the Role of Technology in Education, the plan articulates a vision of equity, active use, and collaborative leadership to make everywhere, all-the-time learning possible for all learners. While acknowledging the continuing need to provide equitable access to technology itself, the plan goes further to call upon all involved in American education to ensure equity of access to transformational learning experiences enabled by technology, including for early learners. ¹⁰

The Departments' four principles state the position of the Departments on this topic and are expanded below.

Guiding Principle #1:

Technology-when used appropriately-can be a tool for learning.

Developmentally appropriate use of technology can help young children grow and learn, especially when families and early educators play an active role. Early learners can use technology to explore new worlds, make believe, and actively engage in fun and challenging activities. They can learn about technology and technology tools and use them to play, solve problems, and role play.

How Do You Determine What is Developmentally Appropriate for a Child When it Comes to Technology?

In Technology and Interactive Media as Tools in Early Childhood Programs Serving Children from Birth through Age 8, the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) and the Fred Rogers Center state that "appropriate experiences with technology and media allow children to control the medium and the outcome of the experience, to explore the functionality of these tools, and pretend how they might be used in real life ¹¹."

Lisa Guernsey, author of Screen Time: How Electronic Media-From Baby Videos to Educational Software-Affects Your Young Child, also provides guidance for families and early educators. For example, instead of applying arbitrary, "one-size-fits-all" time limits, families and early educators should determine when and how to use various technologies based on the Three C's: the content, the context, and the needs of the individual child. ¹² They should ask themselves following questions:

Content-How does this help children learn, engage, express, imagine, or explore?

Context-What kinds of social interactions (such as conversations with parents or peers) are happening before, during, and after the use of the technology? Does it complement, and not interrupt, children's learning experiences and natural play patterns?

The individual child-What does this child need right now to enhance his or her growth and development? Is this technology an appropriate match with this child's needs, abilities, interests, and development stage?

Appropriate use in formal early learning settings

Early educators should keep in mind the developmental levels of children when using technology for early learning. That is, they first should consider what is best for healthy child development and then consider how technology can help early learners achieve learning outcomes. Technology should never be used for technology's sake. Instead, it should only be used for learning and meeting developmental objectives, which can include being used as a tool during play.

When technology is used in early learning settings, it should be integrated into the learning program and used in rotation with other learning tools such as art materials, writing materials, play materials, and books, and should give early learners an opportunity for self-expression without replacing other classroom learning materials. ¹³ There are additional considerations for educators when technology is used, such as whether a particular device will displace interactions with teachers or peers or whether a device has features that would distract from learning. Further, early educators should consider the overall use of technology throughout a child's day and week, and adhere to recommended guidelines from the Let's Move initiative, in partnership with families. Additionally, if a child is eligible for services under IDEA and/or Section 504 and Title II, the student may require specific technology to ensure that the student can access the instructional material.

What Are Some Differences Between Using an e-Book and a Physical Book with Early Learners?

E-books have the potential to provide learning experiences for children and they also have capabilities that are impossible to deliver in print format. For example:

A device can hold a complete library of stories and information for children to explore.

Words and sentences can be highlighted during oral narration.

Children can elect to have a pre-recorded narrator read the entire text out loud to them.

Children can experience embedded interactive features within the text.

On the other hand, research has shown that some interactive features may actually impede a young child's comprehension. 14, 15 An example is a feature that allows children to jump around to different points in the story, which can make it difficult for developing readers to follow a sequence of events.

The optimal way for children to experience a physical book or an e-book is with an adult who is actively involved, 16, 17 asking questions that allow children to expand on what they've read to make connections and providing opportunities to check for comprehension. However, the design of some e-books may dampen parents' desires to play that interactive role. Two research studies have shown that when parents read e-books that have features that asked questions, parents were less likely to play that role with their children while reading together, 18, 19. On the positive side, another research study showed that children who read an e-book with a parent remembered content better than children who read an e-book alone, regardless of what the parent was saying during the reading. ²⁰

When making decisions about incorporating e-books, parents should consider what features are available and when and how they will be used. Bedtime use of e-books may also require additional considerations. For example, currently there is limited research on the impact on sleep when using e-books for bedtime reading, but some research suggests that the backlighting of electronic devices can curtail the amount of time children spend sleeping if a device is used right before bedtime. ²¹

Just as with other educational tools, school-aged children should be taught how to correctly handle and care for devices. These skills and the use of technology should generally not be taught as a separate rotation or class, but rather integrated into the learning objective of the lesson. ²² In some cases, however, individualized instruction may be desirable to meet the specific needs of a child. As children grow older, they should continue to build on this basic skill set with lessons in digital citizenship.

What is Digital Citizenship?

In the Ed Tech Developer's Guide, released by the Office of Educational Technology in April 2015, digital citizenship is defined as "a set of norms and practices regarding appropriate and responsible technology use... and requires a whole-community approach to thinking critically, behaving safely, and participating responsibly online." ²³

As early learners reach an appropriate age to use technology more independently, they must be taught about cyber safety, including the need to protect and not share personal information on the internet, the goals and influence of advertisements, and the need for caution when clicking on links. These skills are particularly important for older children who may be using a parent's device unsupervised. Early childhood educators and administrators should ensure that the proper filters and firewalls are in place so children cannot access materials that are not approved for a school setting.

Distinctions between active and passive use

To understand how to use technology appropriately with young children, families and early educators should understand the differences between passive and active use of technology. Passive use of technology generally occurs when children are consuming content, such as watching a program on television, a computer, or a handheld device without accompanying reflection, imagination, or participation. Active use occurs when children use technologies such as computers, devices, and apps to engage in meaningful learning or storytelling experiences. Examples include sharing their experiences by documenting them with photos and stories, recording their own music, using video chatting software to communicate with loved ones, or using an app to guide playing a physical game. These types of uses are capable of deeply engaging the child, especially when an adult supports them.

Deep engagement is less likely to occur when a device is used passively. In many circumstances, minimal learning occurs when children use devices merely to consume videos on their own. However, screen time should not be the only factor when considering the value of a child's interaction with technology since high-quality, research-based video content can lead to deep cognitive processing in the minds of young children. ²⁴ As most content does not meet this standard, adults need to recognize that what matters most is whether the child's mind is active and deeply engaged with the content. One way an adult can tell if a child is actively engaging with content is for an adult to watch with them (known as co-viewing) and to guide them to a deeper engagement. Co-viewing and the importance of adult interaction is further discussed in guiding principle #4.

Similarly, adults need to be cautious about assuming that a child using a device in a physically engaging way reflects active learning. While actions such as swiping or pressing on devices may seem to be interactive, if the child does not intentionally learn from the experience, it is not considered to be active use. To be considered active use, the content should enable deep, cognitive processing, and allow intentional, purposeful learning at the child's developmental level.

Research on Television Use

Research on television has shown that the impact of children passively consuming content is associated with adverse effects on their health in terms of weight 25, 26, 27 sleep habits 28, 29 and language development 30, 31, 32. One study also showed that fast-paced, cartoon television shows can have an immediate negative impact on executive function skills for four-year-olds. ³³ Executive function refers to a set of cognitive and regulation skills involved in goal-directed problem solving, including working memory, inhibitory control, and flexible shifting of attention. These studies have led to previous recommendations from the AAP limiting the amount of time children have spent with screens.

The Departments further encourage families and early educators to think of ways they can reduce the sedentary nature of most technology use. Technology can encourage and complement physical activity, such as a parent and child using a yoga app together, exploring different varieties of flowers in a neighborhood park while referencing an app to learn about them, or playing console games that encourage adults and children to exercise or dance together.

Additional guidance for families and early educators

Adults should strive to provide balance and moderation when using technology with children. They should set limits that are developmentally appropriate and meet the needs of their children and family. When introducing technology to children, adults should model behaviors such as using technology to promote positive interaction instead of allowing it to interfere with interactions, designating and enforcing face-to-face time that is free of interruptions, and using technology together before allowing children to use it independently.

What is Developmentally Appropriate Technology Use for Children Aged 0-2?

Research shows that unstructured playtime is particularly important for infants and toddlers because they learn more quickly through interactions with the real world than they do through media use and, at such a young age, they have limited periods of awake time. ³⁴ At this age, children require "hands-on exploration and social interaction with trusted caregivers to develop their cognitive, language, motor, and social-emotional skills." ³⁵

Research also shows that children aged 0-2 should not watch media or use technology alone. Children age 12-24 months can learn from videos if parents co-view material with them and use the video as a learning tool to build language skills. ³⁶ Some studies have shown that children in this age range can learn from videos, but do not retain information as long as comparison groups who learned the same material using books with their parents did. ³⁷ When video chatting, children under 16 months show no learning gains, ³⁸ though there may be a benefit in promoting bonding when physical distance limits frequent in-person interactions.

Based on this research, the Departments recommend the following:

For children under the age of 2, technology use in early learning settings is discouraged. With families, technology can be used in active ways that promote relationship development, such as using video chatting software to talk to relatives, friends, and families whom they are not able to see on a regular basis. Parents who are interested in using media with their children can start around 18 months with high-quality content, but should always co-view content and use technology with their children. As determined appropriate by the IFSP team under Part C of the IDEA, children with disabilities in this age range may also use technology, for example, an assistive technology device to help them communicate with others, access and participate in different learning opportunities, or help them get their needs met.

For children ages 2-5, families and early educators need to take into account that technology may be used at home and in early learning settings. New recommendations in the AAP's 2016 Media and Young Minds Brief suggest that one hour of technology use is appropriate per day, inclusive of time spent at home and in early learning settings and across devices. ³⁹ HHS supports more limited technology use in early care settings, and more information on their recommendations can be found in Caring for Our Children: National Health and Safety Performance Standards. ⁴⁰ However, time is only one metric that should be considered with technology use for children in this age range. Families and early educators should also consider the quality of the content, the context of use, and opportunities the technology provides to strengthen or develop relationships. At home, parents can use technology to supplement real-world interactions, for instance, by using an app at the zoo or recapping what they experienced while there.

For children ages 6-8 in school settings, technology should be used as a tool for children to explore and become active creators of content. If children have more than one teacher, those teachers should be aware of how much screen time is being used across subject areas and at home. Students should learn to use technology as an integrated part of a diverse curriculum. At home, parents should set limits they feel are appropriate for their children, understanding the differences between passive and active technology use as well as the benefits of using technology with an adult versus solo use. Parents should also be aware of how much technology is being used in the classroom, what is needed for homework, and how this fits into an overall picture of technology use for their child throughout the day. The AAP has created an interactive Family Media Plan Tool on HealthyChildren.org to help parents be thoughtful about media exposure for their children.

Guiding Principle #2:

Technology should be used to increase access to learning opportunities for all children.

When appropriately used by early learners with guidance and modeling by adults, technology can complement or extend learning in ways not easily achieved otherwise. For example, technology can introduce children more directly to cultures and places outside their community. Although children may have access to print resources from libraries, technology can increase the amount of reference information immediately available to them on a given topic and give them the ability to ask questions of people outside of their classroom. Additionally, within a child's own community, technology should be culturally responsive.

What Does It Mean to Be Culturally Responsive?

Culturally responsive materials are designed to create learning environments that are conducive to learning for all students, no matter their ethnic, cultural, or linguistic background. In a chapter titled "Technology Tools for Family Engagement: The Role of Diversity," in the book Family Engagement in the Digital Age: Early Childhood Educators as Media Mentors edited by Chip Donahue, Kevin Clark suggests that early educators ask themselves the following questions when selecting media:

Do children see different types of people, characteristics, and attributes?

Do children hear a variety of sounds, voices, and music?

Are a variety of situations being depicted (e.g. family structure, lifestyles, power/working relationships?)⁴¹

It is important that these questions are considered across content, including in apps and other media.

Children themselves may be encouraged to take part in creating this content. Technology can help children author their own materials and stories and share their real-life experiences with others, increasing the amount of diverse, culturally relevant, and community-based content in the classroom.

How Does Technology Support STEM and Early Learning?

Technology can be a powerful tool to support learning in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). There are many resources that use technology to make STEM come to life for young children, allowing access to experiences they wouldn't otherwise have. For example, children can use the panda cams at the Smithsonian National Zoological Park to observe animals that aren't found in their everyday lives, take virtual tours of science museums, and observe cause and effect through simulations and games, without risk of harm.

When combined with social interactions and guidance from parents and early educators, the combination of video and games (transmedia) can be powerful tools at home and in the classroom to promote STEM learning. For example, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting-PBS, a 2010 grantee of ED's Ready to Learn Television program demonstrated significant improvement in 4-year olds' math skills when using the PBS KIDS Transmedia Math Supplement to bolster mathematics instruction. ⁴² The 2015 Ready to Learn Television program grant application included a competitive priority to support scientific literacy, which has additional potential to support young children in STEM.

The "T" in STEM is often confused with technological devices such as tablets, laptops, and other physical devices or with the broad term "educational technology." Educational technology is content agnostic and describes using technology as a tool to promote learning across disciplines or content areas. The "T" in STEM, however, is intended to introduce children to the underlying concepts of building or creating technology, including computational thinking, which is the basic logic underlying computer science and is beginning to be incorporated into early childhood settings.

Digital use divide

The 2016 NETP presents research that points to a widening digital use divide, which occurs when some children have the opportunity to use technology actively while others are asked primarily to use it passively. The research showed that children at lower income levels are more likely to complete passive tasks in learning settings while their more affluent peers are more likely to use technology to complete active tasks. 43, 44

For low-income children who may not have access to devices or the internet at home, early childhood settings provide opportunities to learn how to use these tools more actively. For example, research shows that preschool-aged children from low-income families in an urban Head Start center who received daily access to computers and were supported by an adult mentor displayed more positive attitudes toward learning, improved self-esteem and self-confidence, and increased kindergarten readiness skills than children who had computer access, but did not have support from a mentor. ⁴⁵ Access to technology for children is necessary in the 21st century but not sufficient. To have beneficial effects, it must be accompanied by strong adult supports.

Children with disabilities

The 2016 NETP discusses equity in the context of connectivity, access, and active experiences, including the accessibility of technology by children with disabilities. These include apps, devices, materials, and environments that support and enable access to content and educational activities for all learners. ⁴⁶ The Departments support the creation of "born accessible" materials (a play on "born digital," which refers to materials created specifically for digital platforms) that use the principles of Universal Design for Learning and follow industry accessibility standards from the very beginning of the development process. ⁴⁷ Accessibility is not limited to those with sensory or physical disabilities; it also includes individuals with intellectual or other developmental disabilities.

Universal Design for Learning

In the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA), reauthorized by the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is defined as "the meaning given the term in Section 103 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. § 1003)." In that section of the Higher Education Act of 1965, UDL is defined as "a scientifically valid framework for guiding educational practice that-(a) provides flexibility in the ways information is presented, in the ways students respond or demonstrate knowledge and skills, and in the ways students are engaged; and (b) reduces barriers in instruction, provides appropriate accommodations, supports, and challenges, and maintains high achievement expectations for all students, including students with disabilities and students who are limited English proficient."

The Center for Applied Special Technology (CAST) developed the UDL framework for making a curriculum inclusive of "flexible approaches that can be customized and adjusted for individual needs." The CAST guidelines encourage instructional practices and educational content that embrace the widest possible diversity of learners. The UDL approach encourages the development of tools that consider this diverse range of users in the original design rather than add-on features. To see the guidelines, refer to the CAST website.

When used appropriately, technology has the potential to help learners of all ages and abilities fully engage in learning by providing greater access to curriculum and improving learning outcomes. ⁴⁸ For instance technology may provide children who struggle to communicate with an efficient means of communicating. One example is an app that enables children to point to a picture or a series of pictures and then says the words that correspond to the selected item.

For IDEA-eligible children receiving early intervention services or special education and related services, decisions about assistive technology use would be made by the child's IEP or IFSP) team under IDEA, as appropriate. For children with disabilities who are not eligible for services under the IDEA, children could receive appropriate technology in a preschool program operated by a recipient of Federal financial assistance or in a public preschool program, regardless of receipt of Federal funds. For students enrolled in public elementary schools who are not IDEA-eligible who are entitled to special education or related aids and services under Section 504, these determinations generally would be made by the group that makes the placement and services decisions for that student under Section 504.

Recommendations regarding active and passive use for entertainment and learning purposes apply to all children, including those with disabilities. For assistive technology that is necessary for the child to communicate with others or allows them to participate in developmentally appropriate activities, age or time limits should be determined together with the child's IEP or IFSP team.

Dual language learners

For dual language learners, digital resources can support language skills development in the home language and English. For example, students and families can use digital tools to create and share stories in their home language that are culturally relevant for classroom use. Educators can use digital tools to adapt materials with translations in both languages to improve comprehension and communication. In addition, oral language development focused on listening and speaking skills can be enhanced in two or more languages using speech-recording and playback features. When used appropriately and sensitively, technology can help meet the needs of dual language learners as individuals and enhance their learning opportunities. ⁴⁹

Guiding Principle #3:

Technology may be used to strengthen relationships among parents, families, early educators, and young children.

Connections between home and school

In early childhood settings, technology can be used to strengthen relationships between early educators and family members. For example, digital portfolios documenting student work through photos, audio, and video recordings enable teachers to share what children are learning in class with families more often and more informally than is possible in traditional school-based conferences. This allows parents to track their child's progress, provides more opportunities for them to validate their child's efforts and accomplishments, and opens up opportunities for the parents to engage their child about their learning to reinforce or supplement it. In addition to using e-mail, text messages, and social media to make communication between early educators and families easier, technology can also be used to provide information and coaching to parents to reinforce at home what is learned at school. In fact, according to the HHS report, Uses of Technology to Support Early Childhood Practice, 40% of parent, family, and community engagement (PFCE) products used video technology to model ideal parent behaviors or coach a parent's behavior. An additional 40% of PFCE products were used to present parents with educational materials. ⁵⁰ Technology has tremendous potential to strengthen communication and connection between families and early educators to the benefit of children.

Strengthening relationships

Technology can also be used to enhance relationships between children and adults and between children when distance or other barriers such as health prevent in-person interaction. While video chatting can be done at any age (as interactions tend to be brief and guided by an adult), "new evidence shows that infants and toddlers can attend to and engage in joint attention during video-chat interactions but do so more effectively after approximately 16 months of age and with parental support." ⁵¹ Video chatting is not limited to interactions between parents and children or grandparents and children, but is also applicable when children communicate with peers.

While technology has the power to bridge the physical divide between children and loved ones in the ways described, technology should not be used to replace meaningful face-to-face interactions. Precautions should be taken to ensure that technology use does not impede the development of healthy, authentic interactions with adults and peers.

Guiding Principle #4:

Technology is more effective for learning when adults and peers interact or co-view with young children.

Most research on children's media usage shows that children learn more from content when parents or early educators watch and interact with children, encouraging them to make real-world connections to what they are viewing both while they are viewing and afterward. ⁵²

The Ready to Learn Television Program

The Ready to Learn Program: 2010-2015 Policy Brief, published in March 2016, summarized ED's Ready to Learn Television program research on the effectiveness of three educational television production organizations. ⁵³ The brief reported on 15 effectiveness/summative research studies with children aged 3-8 using media in informal learning settings (such as after school or child care programs); 7 of the studies focused on learning at home. From the 7 studies that focused on learning at home, positive associations were found between at-home engagement and children's math learning with children whose parents received interventions such as content guides and suggestions for supplemental activities. The studies also found that parents' awareness of children's math learning increased their likeliness to engage in activities and strategies to help their children learn math. ⁵⁴

While technology such as tablets and smartphones are designed to be handheld and lend themselves to individualized instead of shared experiences, children may benefit greatly when parents are actively involved while children use such devices. One research study of maternal interaction with 15-month olds found that the infants are 22 times more likely to transfer learning from a touchscreen to a real object, but only if the interaction with the mother was highly scaffolded with high levels of maternal input and emotional responsiveness. ⁵⁵

There are many ways that adult involvement can make learning more effective for young children using technology. Adult guidance that can increase active use of more passive technology includes, but are not limited to, the following:

Prior to the child viewing content, an adult can talk to child about the content and suggest certain elements to watch for or pay particular attention to;

An adult can view the content with the child and interact with the child in the moment;

After a child views the content, an adult can engage the child in an activity that extends learning such as singing a song they learned while viewing the content or connecting the content to the world.

How Can We Protect Privacy and Security for Young Children?

The Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) (15 U.S.C. § 6501-6505) governs online collection of personal information by online services such as apps and websites from children under aged 13. For example, before a developer can collect personally identifiable information from a child under 13 verifiable parental consent is required. Any information collected from a child, including photos of the child or a voice recording, must be protected by reasonable security measures. The Federal Trade Commission, which enforces COPPA, has said that school officials can act in the capacity of a parent to provide consent to sign students up for online educational programs at school.

If technology is being used in a school setting, the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) might also protect the child's privacy online. More information on FERPA is available through the U.S. Department of Education's Privacy Technical Assistance Center: http://ptac.ed.gov/.

Regardless of whether either of these two statutes applies, families and educators should evaluate an app's privacy policies prior to using the app. Assistance on what to review for can be found in the PTAC Model Terms of Service.

Advertising and in-app purchases

Beyond ensuring privacy and security, before downloading an app, families, educators, and others who work with young children also need to evaluate whether the app offers in-app purchasing or advertising. Many apps, particularly those that are free, offer advertising or in-app purchases, both of which are generally inappropriate for young children. Many methods of online advertising have the ability to track a user's behavior across multiple sites and services, putting a child's privacy and security at risk. Additionally, parents should also evaluate whether the app includes advertising, particularly age-inappropriate advertising. While adults can sometimes protect from in-app purchases by using appropriate passwords or disabling in-app purchases at the device level, a best practice is to choose software for very young children that avoids in-app purchases and advertising altogether.

Parents and early learning educators should stay up-to-date and informed

Parents and early learning educators who follow the Departments' principles can help ensure that technology is being used intentionally and appropriately to expand a young child's learning and enable experiences and opportunities that previously were not available. However, not all technology is appropriate for young children and not every technology-based experience is good for young children's development. To ensure that technology has a positive impact, adults who use technology with children should continually update their knowledge and equip themselves to make sophisticated decisions on how to best leverage these technology tools to enhance learning and interpersonal relationships for young children. Some sources for information on how to do this include: Common Sense Media, Fred Rogers Center, Joan Ganz Cooney Center, National Association for the Education of Young Children, and Zero to Three.

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Guiding Principles for Use of Technology with Early Learners - Office of Educational Technology

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The Departments recognize that families and early educators have many different options for using technology with early learners. The Departments believe that guidance needs to reflect the reality that families and early educators have access to apps, digital books, games, video chatting software, and a multitude of other interactive technologies that can be used with [...]

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Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviour

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Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviour

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Regardless of how young or old you are, there are physical activity and sedentary behaviour guidelines available for you.

Australia's Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviour Guidelines and the Australian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines are supported by a rigorous evidence review process that considered:

the relationship between physical activity (including the amount, frequency, intensity and type of physical activity) and health outcome indicators, including the risk of chronic disease and obesity; and

the relationship between sedentary behaviour/sitting time and health outcome indicators, including the risk of chronic disease and obesity;

the relationship between good sleep hygiene and improved health (relevant to the 24-Hour Movement Guidelines only).

The following Review Reports provide a summary of the scientific evidence that supports each of the Guidelines:

National Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviour, and Sleep Recommendations for Children (Birth to 5 years)

The Australian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines for the Early Years (Birth to 5 years) show there is an important relationship between how much sleep, sedentary behaviour and physical activity young children get in a 24-hour period.

These recommendations are for all children aged Birth to 5 years who have not yet started school, irrespective of cultural background, gender or ability. The recommendations are outlined below and are also available in the brochure:
Guidelines Australian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines for the Early Years (birth to 5 years): An Integration of Physical Activity, Sedentary Behaviour, and Sleep (PDF 150 KB).

Order 'Early Years (Birth to 5 years)' publication
Physical Activity Recommendations

For healthy growth and development in:

Infants (Birth to one year) physical activity particularly through supervised interactive floor-based play in safe environments should be encouraged from birth. For those not yet mobile, 30 minutes of tummy time including reaching and grasping, pushing and pulling, and crawling spread throughout the day during awake periods is encouraged.

Toddlers (1 to 2 years) should spend at least 180 minutes a day doing a variety of physical activities including energetic play such as running, jumping and twirling spread throughout the day- noting more is better.

Pre-schoolers (3 to 5 years) should spend at least 180 minutes a day in a variety of physical activities, of which 60 minutes is energetic play such as running, jumping and kicking and throwing, spread throughout the day - noting more is better.

Sedentary Behaviour Recommendations

Infants (Birth to one year) should not be restrained for more than 1 hour at a time (e.g. in a stroller, car seat or high chair). Infants should also not spend any time watching television or using other electronic media (DVDs, computer and other electronic games) and instead, when sedentary, the caregiver is encouraged to engage with them through activities such as reading, singing, puzzles and storytelling.

Toddlers (aged 1-2 years) should not be restrained for more than 1 hour at a time (e.g. in a stroller, car seat or high chair) or sit for extended periods. For those toddlers younger than 2 years, screen time is not recommended during sedentary periods. For those aged 2 years, screen time should be no more than 1 hour in total throughout the 24-hour period- less is better. When toddlers are sedentary, the caregiver is encouraged to engage with them through activities such as reading, singing, puzzles and storytelling.

Pre-schoolers (aged 3-5 years) should not be restrained, for more than 1 hour at a time e.g. in a stroller or car seat) or sitting for extended periods. Sedentary screen time should be no more than 1 hour in total throughout the 24-hour period -less is better. When pre-schoolers are sedentary, caregivers are encouraged to engage with them through activities such as reading, singing, puzzles and storytelling.

Sleep

Infants (Birth to one year) are recommended to have 14 to 17 hours (for those aged 0-3 months) and 12 to 16 hours (for those aged 4-11 months) of good quality sleep, including naps during the 24 hour period.

Toddlers (aged 1-2 years) are recommended to have from 11 to 14 hours of good quality sleep, including naps during the 24-hour period with consistent sleep and wake-up times.

Pre-schoolers (aged 3-5 years) are recommended to have 10 to 13 hours of good quality sleep, which may include a nap, with consistent sleep and wake-up times.

Future Research and Surveillance

The evidence supporting the development of 24-Hour Movement Guidelines is strong. As such the World Health Organization is considering the adoption of this 24-hour approach as part of the development of global guidelines.

Factsheets

Further Information

National Physical Activity, Sedentary Behaviour, and Sleep Recommendations for Children and Young People (5-17 years)

Being physically active is good for children and adolescent health, and creates opportunities for making new friends and developing physical and social skills. These Guidelines are for all children and young people aged 5-17 years who have started school, irrespective of cultural background, gender or ability.

The brochure provides further information, tips and guidance about physical activity, sedentary behaviour including 'recreational screen time' and sleep.

PDF version: The Guidelines for Healthy Growth and Development for Children and Young People: A guide for parents and educators brochure (PDF 200 KB)
Word version: The Guidelines for Healthy Growth and Development for Children and Young People: A guide for parents and educators brochure (Word 22 KB)

Order Guidelines for Healthy Growth and Development for Children and Young People: A guide for parents and educators brochure

For optimal health benefits, children and young people (aged 5-17 years) should achieve the recommended balance of high levels of physical activity, low levels of sedentary behaviour, and sufficient sleep each day. A healthy 24 hours includes:

Physical Activity

Accumulating 60 minutes or more of moderate to vigorous physical activity per day involving mainly aerobic activities.

Several hours of a variety of light physical activities;

Activities that are vigorous, as well as those that strengthen muscle and bone should be incorporated at least 3 days per week.

To achieve greater health benefits, replace sedentary time with additional moderate to vigorous physical activity, while preserving sufficient sleep.

Sedentary Behaviour

Break up long periods of sitting as often as possible.

Limit sedentary recreational screen time to no more than 2 hours per day.

When using screen-based electronic media, positive social interactions and experiences are encouraged.

Sleep

An uninterrupted 9 to 11 hours of sleep per night for those aged 5-13 years and 8 to 10 hours per night for those aged 14-17 years.

Have consistent bed and wake-up times.

For a complete version including the Preamble see the 24-Hour Movement Guidelines for Children and Young People (5-17 years).

Further Information

Australia's Physical Activity & Sedentary Behaviour Guidelines for Adults (18-64 years)

Being physically active and limiting your sedentary behaviour every day is essential for health and wellbeing. These guidelines are for all adults aged 18 - 64 years, irrespective of cultural background, gender or ability.

The Guidelines are outlined below and are also available in the Make your Move - Sit less - Be active for life! brochure More than half of all Australian adults are not active enough (PDF 1.2 MB) | More than half of all Australian adults are not active enough (Word 26 KB) which provides further information and guidance about physical activity and sedentary behaviour (sitting) for adults.
Order Make your Move - Sit less - Be active for life! brochure (18-64 years)
Physical Activity Guidelines

Doing any physical activity is better than doing none. If you currently do no physical activity, start by doing some, and gradually build up to the recommended amount.

Be active on most, preferably all, days every week.

Accumulate 150 to 300 minutes (2 ½ to 5 hours) of moderate intensity physical activity or 75 to 150 minutes (1 ¼ to 2 ½ hours) of vigorous intensity physical activity, or an equivalent combination of both moderate and vigorous activities, each week.

Do muscle strengthening activities on at least 2 days each week.

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Sedentary Behaviour Guidelines

Minimise the amount of time spent in prolonged sitting.

Break up long periods of sitting as often as possible.

Factsheets

Further Information

Physical Activity Recommendations for Older Australians (65 years and older)

Being physically active and staying fit and healthy will help you to get the most out of life, whatever your age. These recommendations are designed to help older Australians achieve sufficient physical activity for good health as they age. They are mainly for people who are not currently building 30 minutes of physical activity into their daily lives, and are looking for ways they can do so.

Being physically active for 30 minutes every day is achievable and even a slight increase in activity can make a difference to your health and wellbeing.
Hard copies of this resource are no longer available
Physical Activity Recommendations

There are five physical activity recommendations for older Australians. These recommendations are also available in the Choose Health: Be Active - A physical activity guide for older Australians brochure which provides further information about physical activity for older Australians.

1. Older people should do some form of physical activity, no matter what their age, weight, health problems or abilities.

2. Older people should be active every day in as many ways as possible, doing a range of physical activities that incorporate fitness, strength, balance and flexibility.

3. Older people should accumulate at least 30 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity on most, preferably all, days.

4. Older people who have stopped physical activity, or who are starting a new physical activity, should start at a level that is easily manageable and gradually build up the recommended amount, type and frequency of activity.

5. Older people who continue to enjoy a lifetime of vigorous physical activity should carry on doing so in a manner suited to their capability into later life, provided recommended safety procedures and guidelines are adhered to.

Factsheets

Further Information

Make your Move - Sit Less - Be Active for Life! - A resource for Families

This brochure for families Is your family missing out on the benefits of being active every day? (PDF 1.3 MB) | Is your framily missing out on the benefits of being active every days? (Word 25 KB) provides you with a summary of Australia's Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviour Guidelines for all ages. It provides information about the benefits of being physically active, and offers steps that you and your family can take towards better health, at any age. You will find information for everyone - infants and toddlers, children, young people and adults too, as well as tips and ideas for being more active and less sedentary every day.
Order 'Make your Move - Sit Less - Be Active for Life! - A resource for Families' brochure
Further Information

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australia; exercise; fitness; health effects; health promotion; programs;

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Australia's Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviour Guidelines and the Australian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines

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This page contains Australia's Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviour Guidelines for adults and older Australian's and the Australian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines for the Early Years; and the Australian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines for Children and Young People including links to brochures and other resources.

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Abstract

Infants, toddlers, and preschoolers are now growing up in environments saturated with a variety of traditional and new technologies, which they are adopting at increasing rates. Although there has been much hope for the educational potential of interactive media for young children, accompanied by fears about their overuse during this crucial period of rapid brain development, research in this area still remains limited. This policy statement reviews the existing literature on television, videos, and mobile/interactive technologies; their potential for educational benefit; and related health concerns for young children (0 to 5 years of age). The statement also highlights areas in which pediatric providers can offer specific guidance to families in managing their young children's media use, not only in terms of content or time limits, but also emphasizing the importance of parent-child shared media use and allowing the child time to take part in other developmentally healthy activities.

Introduction

Technologic innovation has transformed media and its role in the lives of infants and young children. More children, even in economically challenged households, are using newer digital technologies, such as interactive and mobile media, on a daily basis and continue to be the target of intense marketing. This policy statement addresses the influence of media on the health and development of children from 0 to 5 years of age, a time of critical brain development, building secure relationships, and establishing health behaviors.

Infants and Toddlers

Children younger than 2 years need hands-on exploration and social interaction with trusted caregivers to develop their cognitive, language, motor, and social-emotional skills. Because of their immature symbolic, memory, and attentional skills, infants and toddlers cannot learn from traditional digital media as they do from interactions with caregivers, and they have difficulty transferring that knowledge to their 3-dimensional experience. The chief factor that facilitates toddlers' learning from commercial media (starting around 15 months of age) is parents watching with them and reteaching the content.,

The interactivity of touchscreens enables applications (apps) to identify when a child responds accurately and then tailor its responses, thereby supporting children at their levels of competence. Emerging evidence shows that at 24 months of age, children can learn words from live video-chatting with a responsive adult or from an interactive touchscreen interface that scaffolds the child to choose the relevant answers. Starting at 15 months of age, toddlers can learn novel words from touchscreens in laboratory-based studies but have trouble transferring this knowledge to the 3-dimensional world. However, it should be noted that these experiments used specially designed apps that are not commercially available.

Many parents now use video-chat (eg, Skype, FaceTime) as an interactive media form that facilitates social connection with distant relatives. New evidence shows that infants and toddlers regularly engage in video-chatting, but the same principles regarding need for parental support would apply in order for infants and toddlers to understand what they are seeing.

In summary, for children younger than 2 years, evidence for benefits of media is still limited, adult interaction with the child during media use is crucial, and there continues to be evidence of harm from excessive digital media use, as described later in this statement.

Preschool Media and Learning

Well-designed television programs, such as Sesame Street, can improve cognitive, literacy, and social outcomes for children 3 to 5 years of age, and continue to create programming that addresses evolving child health and developmental needs (eg, obesity prevention, resilience). Evaluations of apps from Sesame Workshop and the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) also have shown efficacy in teaching literacy skills to preschoolers. Unfortunately, most apps parents find under the "educational" category in app stores have no such evidence of efficacy, target only rote academic skills, are not based on established curricula, and use little or no input from developmental specialists or educators., Most apps also generally are not designed for a dual audience (ie, both parent and child)., It is important to emphasize to parents that the higher-order thinking skills and executive functions essential for school success, such as task persistence, impulse control, emotion regulation, and creative, flexible thinking, are best taught through unstructured and social (not digital) play, as well as responsive parent-child interactions.

Digital books (also called "eBooks," books that can be read on a screen) often come with interactive enhancements that, research suggests, may decrease child comprehension of content or parent dialogic reading interactions when visual effects are distracting. Parents should, therefore, be instructed to interact with children during eBook reading, as they would a print book.

Health and Developmental Concerns

Conclusions: Clinical Implications

In summary, multiple developmental and health concerns continue to exist for young children using all forms of digital media to excess. Evidence is sufficient to recommend time limitations on digital media use for children 2 to 5 years to no more than 1 hour per day to allow children ample time to engage in other activities important to their health and development and to establish media viewing habits associated with lower risk of obesity later in life. In addition, encouraging parents to change to educational and prosocial content and engage with their children around technology will allow children to reap the most benefit from what they view.

As digital technologies become more ubiquitous, pediatric providers must guide parents not only on the duration and content of media their child uses, but also on (1) creating unplugged spaces and times in their homes, because devices can now be taken anywhere; (2) the ability of new technologies to be used in social and creative ways; and (3) the importance of not displacing sleep, exercise, play, reading aloud, and social interactions. Realistically, pediatric providers will need to know how to help parents find resources finding appropriate content, tools for monitoring or limiting child use, ideas for play or activities in which to engage rather than digital play, and how parents can limit their own media use (see HealthyChildren.org for examples); each of these can be built into the Family Media Use Plan (see the American Academy of Pediatrics guide to developing a plan at www.healthychildren.org/MediaUsePlan).

Recommendations

Lead Authors

Jenny Radesky, MD, FAAP

Dimitri Christakis, MD, MPH, FAAP

Council on Communications And Media Executive Committee, 2016-2017

David Hill, MD, FAAP, Chairperson

Nusheen Ameenuddin, MD, MPH, FAAP

Yolanda (Linda) Reid Chassiakos, MD, FAAP

Corinn Cross, MD, FAAP

Jenny Radesky, MD, FAAP

Jeffrey Hutchinson, MD, FAAP

Rhea Boyd, MD, FAAP

Robert Mendelson, MD, FAAP

Megan Moreno, MD, MSEd, MPH, FAAP

Justin Smith, MD, FAAP

Wendy Sue Swanson, MD, MBE, FAAP

Liaisons

Kris Kaliebe, MD - American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry

Jennifer Pomeranz, JD, MPH - American Public Health Association

Brian Wilcox, PhD - American Psychological Association

Footnotes

Policy statements from the American Academy of Pediatrics benefit from expertise and resources of liaisons and internal (AAP) and external reviewers. However, policy statements from the American Academy of Pediatrics may not reflect the views of the liaisons or the organizations or government agencies that they represent.

The guidance in this statement does not indicate an exclusive course of treatment or serve as a standard of medical care. Variations, taking into account individual circumstances, may be appropriate.

All policy statements from the American Academy of Pediatrics automatically expire 5 years after publication unless reaffirmed, revised, or retired at or before that time.

FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE: The authors have indicated they do not have a financial relationship relevant to this article to disclose.

FUNDING: No external funding.

POTENTIAL CONFLICT OF INTEREST: The authors have indicated they have no potential conflicts of interest to disclose.

View Abstract

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Infants, toddlers, and preschoolers are now growing up in environments saturated with a variety of traditional and new technologies, which they are adopting at increasing rates. Although there has been much hope for the educational potential of interactive media for young children, accompanied by fears about their overuse during this crucial period of rapid brain development, research in this area still remains limited.

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Fred Rogers Center for Early Learning & Children's Media

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Home - Fred Rogers Center for Early Learning & Children's Media

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The legacy of Fred Rogers guides everything we do. From the beautiful simplicity of modeling nurturing interactions with young children to the thoughtful use of educational technology, we learn from Fred's timeless wisdom and approach.

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© Boston Children's Hospital 2018 | All Rights Reserved For permissions, contact Center on Media and Child Health CMCH BCH3186 | 300 Longwood Avenue | Boston, MA 02115 cmch@childrens.harvard.edu | 617-355-5420

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Technology in Early Childhood Center at Erikson Institute