My 5-year-old has developed an obsession with the iPad. I’ve installed a few games for him, but his favorite feature is the voice dictation software. He articulates his thoughts slowly and carefully into the microphone, and the software transcribes his imaginative tales: “I am could you please type that could you please type out I am a pirate.” He constantly pleads for the iPad; his adoration is evident. In hindsight, I wish I hadn’t introduced it to him.
Now, I have a 2-year-old who also perceives the iPad as an enchanting and off-limits item. He eagerly seizes it whenever it’s left unattended, effortlessly swiping to unlock it.
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has long recommended no screen time for children under 2 years old and no more than two hours daily for children over 2. However, what I didn’t realize is that these guidelines were established before the rise of interactive applications specifically designed for young children. Could interactive apps, perhaps, provide a more beneficial experience than passive screen viewing? One can only hope.
While I often feel guilty handing my children my phone or the iPad, it’s usually during moments when I need to accomplish tasks that are not conducive to their presence—like completing paperwork at the DMV or attending a dermatologist appointment. The iPad might be the sole reason I maintain a valid driver’s license and a clean bill of health. I genuinely hope it’s not causing them significant harm, because frankly, I rely on it.
However, that guilt lingers. Research on the effects of various types of screen time on children is still limited. Is watching a show like Sesame Street more beneficial than engaging with an interactive app? As journalist Mark Thompson points out in his article on ArsTechnica, studies in this area are just beginning, primarily due to challenges such as the rapid evolution of interactive apps, the difficulty of creating lab environments that mimic real-world app usage, and the hesitance of busy parents to involve their kids in studies.
Despite these challenges, Dr. Sarah Johnson, an assistant professor in the Human Development and Family Studies Department at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, is investigating these questions.
A brief overview reveals why iPads captivate young children even more than traditional television. Interactive software capitalizes on children’s fascination with “contingency”: for example, if they throw toys on the floor and an adult picks them up, they find it delightful and will likely continue this behavior. Interactive software amplifies this effect. When children swipe to unlock the iPad or tap an app that responds, their fascination increases exponentially.
Dr. Johnson’s research examines whether this interactive experience aids learning compared to passive viewing. She discovered that for children as young as two, engaging with an app did enhance their learning. However, for children aged 30 months and older, they learned equally well from videos as from interactive applications. Thompson notes, “This finding has significant implications. Encouraging children to actively engage with screens may mitigate the well-known video deficiency effect. Perhaps children under two can indeed benefit from screen time.”
Nevertheless, she points out several caveats. Lab studies may not accurately reflect real-world scenarios, and the apps our children are drawn to might be visually captivating without providing educational value. We might also purchase apps that are either too simplistic or overly challenging, rendering them ineffective for learning. In general, children learn best through face-to-face interactions, so experts emphasize the importance of monitoring children’s technology usage instead of relying on it as a digital babysitter. Thompson advises, “[a] tablet should serve as a tool to foster interaction with your child, rather than a substitute for valuable engagement.”
While these insights are enlightening, they do not address the real-life scenarios of needing to accomplish tasks like visiting the dermatologist or filling out forms at the DMV. The best course of action seems to be thoroughly researching suitable apps for my children and using them judiciously. It’s reassuring to know that not all screen time is equal, and when you’re in a pinch—whether it’s at the doctor’s office or while cooking dinner—there’s likely an app that can help.
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In conclusion, while the iPad can offer educational benefits for children, it is crucial for parents to remain actively engaged and discerning about how and when their children use technology.
Keyphrase: iPad benefits and drawbacks for children
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