Screen Time & Brain Development In Children & Young People

Key points about screen time and brain development in children and young people

• the brain undergoes its most rapid development during childhood
• too much screen time can have a negative impact on brain development in tamariki 
• managing your child’s screen time can help support healthy brain development as they grow 

What is screen time?

Screen time refers to the total time someone spends using electronic devices with screens. Activities that tamariki and rangatahi do during screen time include watching videos, playing games, interacting on social media, and browsing the internet.

How does screen time affect my child’s emotional and mental health and brain development?

The impact of screen time on your child’s mental and emotional health and development depends on their age. 

Infants to 2 years old

Screen time for young tamariki up to 2 years old mostly includes passive screen time, like having a TV playing in the background. Infants only look at a screen for a few seconds at a time. Because screens lack 3D features, young tamariki can not transfer what they see on a screen to real life. Therefore, screens are not a useful tool for learning in this age group.

Negative effects of screen time in infants to 2 years old

The negative effect of screen time on young tamariki is thought to be related to TV replacing child and whānau interactions. This could be due to parents watching TV while their child is in the room or using the screen to distract their child while they do other activities. Research has shown that too much screen time in young tamariki may slow down or limit their language development. Parents and whānau tend to speak fewer words to their tamariki when the TV is on. But, if a parent or caregiver talks with their child during TV watching, it can help. 

Pre-school children from 2 to 5 years old

From around 2 years old, tamariki begin to understand more of what they see on screens. Their screen time experiences become more interactive. The effect of screen time on tamariki aged 2 to 5 years old is not well understood, and more research is being done. 

Negative effects of screen time in pre-school tamariki from 2 to 5 years old

Research shows that unsupervised screen time isn’t healthy for young tamariki. It may have a mild negative impact on their development, particularly on their self-control and attention span. This could be because their developing brains are overwhelmed easily by trying to process what they see on screens. 

Potential benefits of screen time in pre-school tamariki from 2 to 5 years old

Tamariki can also learn valuable skills from certain educational shows and games on screens. For example, they can learn math and writing skills and understand social behaviors through educational screen content. Shows like Sesame Street are designed for this purpose. 

Type of content is important 

The type of content that young tamariki watch is important. Educational and less stimulating content is more beneficial for them. Adult supervision is also crucial. When tamariki watch screens with adults, they learn more. They are also less likely to have problems with their attention span and social interactions.

School-aged children from 5 to 12 years old

As tamariki grow up, they start having more control over what content they watch during screen time. They begin to use the internet, social media and play video games on their own, making their screen time more varied.

Negative effects of screen time in school-aged tamariki from 5 to 12 years old

Researchers are still learning the full impact of screen time on school-aged tamariki, but they know that different kinds of screen activities can have different effects. Some studies suggest that too much passive screen time, like watching TV and movies, might not be good for school-aged tamariki. Research suggests that tamariki aged 7 to 10 years of age who use screens for several hours per day are more likely to experience aggression and hyperactivity and have poor attention skills. 

Timing is important for this age group. When tamariki use screens, especially right before bedtime, it can disrupt their sleep, make them tired and make it harder for them to do well in school.

Potential benefits of screen time in school-aged tamariki from 5 to 12 years old

Some aspects of interactive screen time, like gaming, may have positive effects on school-aged tamariki. It might help them learn things like switching between tasks and staying focused. 

Adolescence from 12 years and older

The way rangatahi use screens, especially the internet and social media, can have an impact on their emotions and social development. The average 15 year old in New Zealand spends more than 3 hours a day using screens. Almost one-quarter spend over 6 hours a day on the internet outside of school.

Negative effects of screen time on rangatahi

Research suggests it's important for rangatahi to balance their screen time. Using the internet a little is better than not at all, but spending too many hours online can affect their health. Too much screen time and internet use can mildly affect their mood, increase anxiety, and lower their self-esteem.

The effect of social media on rangatahi 

Many rangatahi use social media such as TikTok and Instagram. Developing relationships is an important part of being a teenager. They use social media to connect with friends and share their lives. Using social media can have positive effects, like boosting self-esteem, reducing stress, and making them feel closer to friends. It's also a way for them to find support, especially for groups such as LGBTQIA+ youth.

However, social media is considered to also have negative impacts on rangatahi. Comparing themselves to heavily edited images can lead to body dissatisfaction. Fear of missing out on what others are doing can affect their well-being. They might feel pressured to constantly check their posts, which can make them anxious. There's also the risk of seeing inappropriate content or experiencing cyberbullying, which can be harmful to their emotional and mental health. 

Screen time in schools

There has been an increase in device use in New Zealand schools over the last 10 years. New Zealand has one of the highest levels of school device use among developed countries, but research hasn’t seen an increase in academic performance alongside this. 

Take a look at the New Zealand guidelines on the use of digital technologies within schools, kura, and early childhood education settings, on the Brainwave website. These guidelines provide practical and comprehensive recommendations to New Zealand schools, kura and early childhood centres. They aim to maximise the educational benefits of digital technologies while minimising potential health risks.

How can I manage my child's screen time in a healthy way?

There are lots of ways for you and your child to manage their screen use in a healthy way to support healthy brain development. Alongside focusing on how much time they spend on screens, consider what they are watching and how they are consuming content. 

Ways to help manage your child’s screen time include:

• supervising your child while they use their screens so you can monitor what content they watch
• interacting with your child during screen time
• being a good role model and enjoying screen-free time with your child
• monitoring your child’s wellbeing during and after screen time
• talking openly about screen time and its effects
• picking educational content for your child to watch
• setting up parental controls on your child’s devices 
• encouraging lots of other activities like exercise and outdoor play

See the KidsHealth page for more tips on managing your child's screen time

Current knowledge and developing research

Researchers are continuing to better understand the impact of screen time on tamariki and rangatahi. A lot of existing knowledge comes mainly from observational research. This sort of research makes it challenging to separate the effects of screen time from other factors influencing a child's health and development. Most of the research to date is based on TV watching. Other screen types, like smartphones and gaming devices are actively being researched.