Is your child safe online?

Is your child safe online?

The following information is from the Government website: https://help-for-early-years-providers.education.gov.uk/health-and-wellbeing/internet-safety

At the end of this article there is a guide to setting up frequently used apps to make them safe for your child!

What children in the early years are doing online – did you know these statistics? It was a surprise to us…

Children in the early years are now more digitally savvy than ever before. Their use of digital devices is commonplace with apps like YouTube Kids becoming a destination of choice for 72% of children aged 3 to 4 according to a recent Ofcom report.

Research also shows that children are moving away from watching TV, opting for video-on-demand content on video-sharing platforms to watch cartoons, mini movies and songs. However, unlike older children, only a small number of children aged 3 to 4 (23%) play games online.

There are benefits and challenges to screen time

The impact of device use on children’s development in the early years

Screen use can have a number of benefits for children in the early years but also comes with some challenges that staff should be aware of. Ongoing research suggests there are both positive and negative developmental outcomes.

Benefits of screen use include:

• opportunities to promote creativity and learning
• language development
• improvement of numeracy and literacy skills
• greater understanding of their world
• development of digital skills

Challenges of screen use include:

• impact on children’s ability to control their emotions
• displacement of activities that promote social interactions vital for development
• risk of exposure to inappropriate content

There is guidance on appropriate screen time for children of different ages

Screen time for children in the early years

The World Health Organisation (WHO) published guidance on physical activity, sedentary behaviour and sleep for children under 5 years of age. The guidance states that to grow up healthy, children need to sit less and play more.

WHO has the following recommendations for screen time:

• under 1: screen time is not recommended
• 1-year-olds: sedentary screen time (such as watching TV or videos, playing computer games) is not recommended
• 2-year-olds: sedentary screen time should be no more than 1 hour; less is better
• age 3-4: sedentary screen time should be no more than 1 hour; less is better

Top Tips for Setting up Devices

Early years (under 5) online safety advice