What seems to be the most pressing question I get from parents is: “Is it OK for my baby to watch TV?” Parents tell me how it gives them a much needed break during the day, allows them to cook dinner, clean up a little bit or go to the bathroom (which can be difficult with a demanding toddler on the loose!).
In short: It depends. Not the answer you were hoping for, I know, but I will elaborate.
There is a lot of research that has been conducted exploring the possible benefits and harms television viewing may have on children; however, the research is limited to studies focusing mostly on preschool and older children and largely only considers the child and not the family as a unit. There is no argument concerning children over two-years-old: Educational programming is beneficial to language and social development when watched in moderation (less than 10 hours weekly); however, there is little evidence that there are benefits to children under two-years-old. In fact, there is some evidence that television is harmful to young children. This is why the American Pediatric Association has a formal warning urging parents not to allow children under 2 to view television (this includes video and computer use). However, available research is mostly correlational: in other words, they do not truly investigate the cause of the problems being found (such as decreased attention span or vocabulary).
What does it mean?
In my opinion there is no true reason to sit an infant under one-year in front of a television. Infants are generally just as happy playing with their toys and can be occupied for some time. If you need to cook, place your baby in a playpen with some toys. If that doesn’t work, strap her on your back. If nothing works and you need 10 minutes to cook dinner: fine. Use an age-appropriate video. Although even an age-appropriate video will probably not show any benefits for a child this young, it probably won’t harm your infant if she watches television once in a while for 10-15 minutes; however, do not make this a habit or you will have a TV addict on your hands! Beware! It is all too easy to fall into a routine of using the television as a babysitter enabling you to cook, check e-mail, take a shower or handle any other ‘emergency’ that comes up. It could be a never-ending day of TV, which isn’t good for anyone, least of all an infant who needs to explore the world!
Children over the age of one year may begin to understand what they see on the screen. There are no proven television or video programs that are appropriate or beneficial for this age; however, in my experience, watching 10 minutes a day of baby sign language videos with your infant may help her not only learn signs but also learn vocabulary. If you expect any sort of benefit, it is essential to watch with your child so you can reinforce what she saw throughout the day.
Bottom Line: If you are using television to help you in a bind, try to limit it to 15 minutes for children under two and be careful what you show them. It is not enough to be educational, your choice also needs to be age-appropriate. Elmo’s World, for example, is better for children under two than Dragon Tales or Dora the Explorer, although they all are educational. I know it is not a lot of time, but it is amazing what a motivated parent can accomplish in 15 uninterrupted minutes!
Looking for some great academic articles to read? Check out all sides of this argument with:
· Anderson and Pempek’s manuscript titled, “Television and Very Young Children” published in the American Behavioral Scientist (January, 2005)
· Linebarger. and Walker’s manuscript titled, “Infants’ and Toddlers’ Television Viewing and Language Outcomes” published in the American Behavioral Scientist, (January, 2005) and
· The Kaiser Family Foundation’s study led by Rideout and Hamel titled, “The Media Family: Electronic Media in the Lives of Infants, Toddlers, Preschoolers and Their Parents” (May 2006).
I love your comments on how much or how little TV children should be watching. My son is 20 months old and I allow him to watch Sesame Street at times and a few Baby Einstein videos per week. He has learned so much from them! But, I usually watch most of the show with him rather than letting him to fend for himself. It makes a big difference. Thanks for the information and putting it all into perspective.
What seems to be the most pressing question I get from parents is: “Is it OK for my baby to watch TV?” Parents tell me how it gives them a much needed break during the day, allows them to cook dinner, clean up a little bit or go to the bathroom (which can be difficult with a demanding toddler on the loose!).
In short: It depends. Not the answer you were hoping for, I know, but I will elaborate.
There is a lot of research that has been conducted exploring the possible benefits and harms television viewing may have on children; however, the research is limited to studies focusing mostly on preschool and older children and largely only considers the child and not the family as a unit. There is no argument concerning children over two-years-old: Educational programming is beneficial to language and social development when watched in moderation (less than 10 hours weekly); however, there is little evidence that there are benefits to children under two-years-old. In fact, there is some evidence that television is harmful to young children. This is why the American Pediatric Association has a formal warning urging parents not to allow children under 2 to view television (this includes video and computer use). However, available research is mostly correlational: in other words, they do not truly investigate the cause of the problems being found (such as decreased attention span or vocabulary).
What does it mean?
In my opinion there is no true reason to sit an infant under one-year in front of a television. Infants are generally just as happy playing with their toys and can be occupied for some time. If you need to cook, place your baby in a playpen with some toys. If that doesn’t work, strap her on your back. If nothing works and you need 10 minutes to cook dinner: fine. Use an age-appropriate video. Although even an age-appropriate video will probably not show any benefits for a child this young, it probably won’t harm your infant if she watches television once in a while for 10-15 minutes; however, do not make this a habit or you will have a TV addict on your hands! Beware! It is all too easy to fall into a routine of using the television as a babysitter enabling you to cook, check e-mail, take a shower or handle any other ‘emergency’ that comes up. It could be a never-ending day of TV, which isn’t good for anyone, least of all an infant who needs to explore the world!
Children over the age of one year may begin to understand what they see on the screen. There are no proven television or video programs that are appropriate or beneficial for this age; however, in my experience, watching 10 minutes a day of baby sign language videos with your infant may help her not only learn signs but also learn vocabulary. If you expect any sort of benefit, it is essential to watch with your child so you can reinforce what she saw throughout the day.
Bottom Line: If you are using television to help you in a bind, try to limit it to 15 minutes for children under two and be careful what you show them. It is not enough to be educational, your choice also needs to be age-appropriate. Elmo’s World, for example, is better for children under two than Dragon Tales or Dora the Explorer, although they all are educational. I know it is not a lot of time, but it is amazing what a motivated parent can accomplish in 15 uninterrupted minutes!
Looking for some great academic articles to read? Check out all sides of this argument with:
· Anderson and Pempek’s manuscript titled, “Television and Very Young Children” published in the American Behavioral Scientist (January, 2005)
· Linebarger. and Walker’s manuscript titled, “Infants’ and Toddlers’ Television Viewing and Language Outcomes” published in the American Behavioral Scientist, (January, 2005) and
· The Kaiser Family Foundation’s study led by Rideout and Hamel titled, “The Media Family: Electronic Media in the Lives of Infants, Toddlers, Preschoolers and Their Parents” (May 2006).