Three-quarters of young kids watch TV every day, often from their own bedrooms, according to a new study offering the first comprehensive look at the habits of the youngest viewers.
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that kids under age 2 shouldn't watch any TV and older kids shouldn't spend more than 2 hours each day on "screen time" (TV, computer, or video games). Researchers looked at data from phone surveys conducted in 2005 by the Kaiser Family Foundation in which more than 1,000 parents of kids ages 6 months to 6 years were surveyed to see how their family's TV and media habits stacked up against the AAP's recommendations.
Turns out, many parents are not heeding the AAP's advice. Nearly 70% of babies and toddlers watched TV. Televisions were even a staple in the bedrooms of almost one-fifth of infants and toddlers (kids under 2) and more than a third of preschoolers (ages 3 to 6). The most common reason for TVs in kids' rooms: so that the rest of the family could watch their own shows.
But some parents of preschoolers are following the AAP's guidance — 56% of 3- and 4-year-olds and 70% of 5- and 6-year-olds have no more than 2 hours of screen time each day. The study also reported one very positive finding: All of the kids read and played outside just as much, no matter how much time they spent in front of a screen.
The researchers noted that the current "media-saturated environment" will likely remain a big part of many young kids' daily lives as shows, DVDs, and video games are increasingly tailored to them, even infants. But the researchers say there's an "urgent need" for more research to find out how TV and electronic media affect young kids' development.
What This Means to You
Quality programming can provide kids with plenty of entertainment and learning opportunities. But too much TV can also make them more likely to be obese and, depending on the content, more aggressive.
To make TV viewing in your household as productive as possible:
- Make sure programs are nonviolent, educational, and age-appropriate.
- Keep TVs out of kids' bedrooms. Having a TV in their rooms can affect kids academically, socially, and physically.
- Turn off the TV during meals.
- Set a good example — limit your own screen time.
- Preview programs before your child watches them.
- Watch programs with your kids — at least the first few minutes to assess the tone and appropriateness, then check in throughout the show.
- Offer fun alternatives to TV: hide and seek, playing outside, reading, crafts or hobbies, listening and dancing to music, etc. Stock TV rooms with plenty of other entertainment like books, kids' magazines, toys, puzzles, board games, coloring books and crayons, etc.
- Try a weekday ban. Record shows or save TV and videos for weekends so you'll have more family time for meals, games, physical activity, reading, and just spending quality time with your kids.
Reviewed by: Steven Dowshen, MD
Date reviewed: May 2007
Source: Elizabeth A. Vandewater, PhD; Victoria J. Rideout, MA; Ellen A. Wartella, PhD; Xuan Huang, MA; June H. Lee, PhD; MI-suk Shim, PhD. Pediatrics, May 2007.
