Limit Screen Time: Steps to Reduce Screen Use in Toddlers

Toddlers today are exposed to technology and gadgets at a very young age. When used appropriately, these tools can assist children in an educational context. However, prolonged usage at a young age can impact a child’s development emotionally, socially, and physically. Thus, toddlers need to be guided toward an active and balanced lifestyle by managing and monitoring technology exposure. Primary schools in Chennai nowadays are incorporating digital literacy programs into their curriculum. These programs emphasize responsible technology use.

Understanding the Effects of Excessive Screen Time 

Excessive screen use by toddlers can lead to the following: 

Short-term: Sleep problems and behavioral changes. 

Long-term: Difficulty in focusing, struggling with tasks, and potential health issues. 

Engagement with gadgets should be kept to a minimum, prioritizing non-violent and age-appropriate content. 

Signs Your Toddler Has Excessive Technology Usage 

• Reluctance to engage in outdoor activities or read books. 
• Displays anger or throws tantrums when gadgets are taken away. 
• Withdraws from conversations or has difficulty communicating with others. 

Practical Steps for Limiting Usage of Gadgets 

Establish Usage Limits: Establish rules for daily or weekly gadget usage limits that align with your child's age and development. 

Introduce New Activities: Encourage activities such as arts, puzzles, and building blocks that are more stimulating than screens. 

• For example, you can teach your child to do the butterfly hug by tapping their shoulders while folding their arms against their chest.  
• This fun activity can help soothe or distract them from intense emotions without the need for screens. 

Set an example: Spend a limited amount of time on electronics where your child can see you and engage in family-friendly activities such as reading books or playing outside. 

Use Parental Controls: Control the time your child spends on the screen and set boundaries for the content they can access.

Engaging Alternatives to Screen Time 

• Promote Outdoor Activities: Encourage activities like running, cycling, or going out for a walk, as these can help put excess energy to good use. 
• Bear Hugs for Family Bonding: Bear hugs are comforting and can help reduce a child’s need for screens. These tactics provide emotional support, thus replacing the need for distractions from screens. 
• Books and Storytelling: Reading or telling stories helps with their imagination. 
• Crafting, cooking, and gardening: These hands-on activities can broaden a child's imagination and sharpen motor skills. 
• Moderating the use of educational apps and programs as a supplement to learning can help foster a balanced approach to technology. 
• When using screens, let your toddler join in. 
• This allows you to strengthen your bond while doing fun activities. 
• Set guidelines associated with growth benchmarks.

Thoughts for Parents 

• Substitute other interesting activities for screens. 
• Gradually decrease the amount of time used to cope with defiance. 
• Encourage other forms of interaction. 
• Create areas where screens are not allowed. 
• Examples of these areas include the bedroom and the dining room.

Preparing for the Digital Age: Screen Time Practices at Vaels  

We at Vaels, one of the best primary schools in Neelankarai, encourage these screen-free activities through structured programs and hands-on learning experiences. 

Incorporating consciousness into teacher programs: 

Our curriculum incorporates the use of stories, role-play activities, and discussions to explain the proper balancing of technology with other activities like fresh air and imaginative play. 

Encouraging Active Play and Imaginative Activities: 

Children are proficiently focused on activities like swimming, art, music, dancing, and even yoga, which enables growth, development, and socialization while reducing screen time. 

Modeling calming strategies to teach self-regulation: 

The bear hug and butterfly hug are calming techniques that help children learn to regulate their emotions (e.g. when transitioning off a screen). 

Developing a Team Approach with Parents: 

By offering workshops, parent-teacher meetings, and shared resources, educators empower parents to reinforce screen time practices at home, contributing to a unified approach. 

Establishing screen-free zones and times: 

Screenless classrooms and play spaces foster hands-on learning, face-to-face interactions, and developmentally appropriate routines that support curiosity and engagement. 

Engaging Family Bonding Activities: 

We host family activities such as board game evenings and art projects to foster meaningful, collective experiences in place of screen time. 

By introducing these practices into our day-to-day routines, we assist children in forming a balanced relationship with screen time and fostering healthy habits that extend beyond the school day. International schools in Chennai collaborate with parents to emphasize moderation and mindfulness when managing a toddler’s screen time. This approach ensures their well-being and supports the raising of a healthy, well-rounded individual.  

Contact us today to discover our educational approach and manage screen time effectively!