Einstein DidnEinstein Didn’’t Watch DVDst Watch DVDs

A Virtual WorkshopA Virtual Workshop

March 30March 30thth, 2011, 2011

Virtual Workshop PresentersVirtual Workshop Presenters

Terry Kelly, Early Literacy Specialist

York Region Ontario Early Years

Paige Stirling Fox, Early Literacy Specialist

York Region Ontario Early Years

AgendaAgenda

•• Early Brain DevelopmentEarly Brain Development

•• How Young Children LearnHow Young Children Learn

•• WhatWhat’’s happening with young s happening with young

children and screen time?children and screen time?

•• What research tells usWhat research tells us

•• How to balance play, learning, How to balance play, learning,

and media?and media?

•• Questions and AnswersQuestions and Answers

Survey Survey –– Your Media TimeYour Media Time

Survey Survey –– Your ChildYour Child’’s Media Times Media Time

Early Brain DevelopmentEarly Brain Development

Windows of OpportunityWindows of Opportunity

How Children LearnHow Children Learn

•• Children learn best through interaction with real Children learn best through interaction with real and concrete objects and experiencesand concrete objects and experiences

•• Children learn best when they have a chance for Children learn best when they have a chance for repeated interaction repeated interaction

•• Children learn language best through Children learn language best through conversation/interaction with a caring, engaged conversation/interaction with a caring, engaged adultadult

•• It is difficult for young children to learn from It is difficult for young children to learn from virtual, fastvirtual, fast--changing imageschanging images

How Young is Too Young?How Young is Too Young?

•• In 1971, the average age that children started watching TV was 4In 1971, the average age that children started watching TV was 4years. Now ityears. Now it’’s 4s 4--5 months.5 months.

•• By age of three months, 40% of infants are watching screen By age of three months, 40% of infants are watching screen media regularly. By age two, the number jumps to 90%media regularly. By age two, the number jumps to 90%

•• 14% of children under two spend more than 2 hours a day with 14% of children under two spend more than 2 hours a day with screen mediascreen media

•• 19% of babies under one year old have a TV in their bedroom19% of babies under one year old have a TV in their bedroom

•• The American Academy of The American Academy of PediatricsPediatrics advises that children under advises that children under two should not watch any television/videos, and those between two should not watch any television/videos, and those between 22--6 should watch no more than an hour or two per day.6 should watch no more than an hour or two per day.

What the Research Tells UsWhat the Research Tells Us

•• Television, for babies, is associated negatively Television, for babies, is associated negatively

with cognitive developmentwith cognitive development

•• The more time babies spend viewing screen The more time babies spend viewing screen

media, the less time they spend interacting with media, the less time they spend interacting with

parents or engaging in creative play parents or engaging in creative play –– the two the two

activities known to promote learningactivities known to promote learning

•• Regular screen media time interrupts regular Regular screen media time interrupts regular

sleep patternssleep patterns

TV and Language DevelopmentTV and Language Development

•• For babies 8 to 16 months, watching baby videos is For babies 8 to 16 months, watching baby videos is

associated with slower language developmentassociated with slower language development

•• For all young children, even when a TV is playing For all young children, even when a TV is playing ““just just

in the backgroundin the background””, there are substantially fewer vocal , there are substantially fewer vocal

interactions between child and caregiverinteractions between child and caregiver

What you can doWhat you can do

•• For babies, choose activities that promote language For babies, choose activities that promote language development and brain growth (ensure eyedevelopment and brain growth (ensure eye--contact, contact, talking, playing, singing, reading, music)talking, playing, singing, reading, music)

•• For children over two, limit TV time to no more than For children over two, limit TV time to no more than two hours per day. Choose agetwo hours per day. Choose age--appropriate programs.appropriate programs.

•• Keep TV off during meals. Keep TV off during meals.

•• Turn TV off when a chosen program is over. DonTurn TV off when a chosen program is over. Don’’t t leave TV on as a background filler.leave TV on as a background filler.

What you can do (What you can do (concon’’tt))

•• Avoid using TV, or other forms of screen media, as a Avoid using TV, or other forms of screen media, as a reward.reward.

•• Keep TVs out of bedrooms.Keep TVs out of bedrooms.

•• Watch TV with your child. Talk about what you see. Watch TV with your child. Talk about what you see. Ask them questions about the content.Ask them questions about the content.

•• Learn to say no when theyLearn to say no when they’’re young. The best predictor re young. The best predictor of too much TV viewing as older children and of too much TV viewing as older children and adolescents was amount viewed at early age.adolescents was amount viewed at early age.

What about What about ‘‘the Einstein effectthe Einstein effect’’??

•• Parents have received the message that the first five Parents have received the message that the first five years are very importantyears are very important

•• Wanting the best for their child, they want to expose Wanting the best for their child, they want to expose them to every advantage (programs, languages, learning them to every advantage (programs, languages, learning experiences, etc.)experiences, etc.)

•• Companies have developed products and services to Companies have developed products and services to capitalize upon this marketcapitalize upon this market

•• Disney has now rescinded their claim that the Baby Disney has now rescinded their claim that the Baby Einstein DVDs are educationalEinstein DVDs are educational

What about Computer/Video Games?What about Computer/Video Games?

•• These are more cognitively stimulating than the These are more cognitively stimulating than the passivity of TV and DVDspassivity of TV and DVDs

•• Parents/caregivers need to be picky about the quality Parents/caregivers need to be picky about the quality and content of the games/sitesand content of the games/sites

•• ItIt’’s not as much about time spent with screen as it is s not as much about time spent with screen as it is about what they are missing out onabout what they are missing out on

•• Include computer or video games (Include computer or video games (PSPsPSPs) as part of ) as part of overall screen timeoverall screen time

DiscussionDiscussion

•• How do we as parents/caregivers support our How do we as parents/caregivers support our

children in having a healthy balance between children in having a healthy balance between

play, learning and screen media?play, learning and screen media?

Some SuggestionsSome Suggestions

•• Setting Limits Setting Limits –– the earlier the betterthe earlier the better

•• Role Modelling: Role Modelling: ““Step away from the IStep away from the I--PhonePhone””

•• Family Outings/Holidays that are Family Outings/Holidays that are ““mediamedia--freefree””

•• Plan Family Games Nights Plan Family Games Nights

•• Set aside time to read each daySet aside time to read each day

Questions and AnswersQuestions and Answers

ReferencesReferences• Christakis, D.A., & Zimmerman, F.J. . (2006). The elephant in the

living room: making television work for your kids. New York: Rodale. • University of Montreal (2010, May 8). Toddlers and TV: Early exposure

has negative and long-term impact.

ScienceDaily. Retrieved March 23, 2011, from http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/05/100503161229.htm

• Hirsh-Pasek, K., & Michnick Golinkoff, with R..Eyer, D. . (2003). Einstein never used flashcards: how our children really learn – and why they need to play more and memorize less. New York: Rodale.

• Seattle Children’s Hospital (2009, June 2). Young Children’s Exposure to Audible Television Has Implications for Language Acquisition and Brain Development. ScienceDaily. Retrieved June 23, 2009, from http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/06/090601182830.htm

• “Baby-Scam” Marketing to Infants & Toddlers, Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood, www.commercialfreechildhood.org

Thank You!Thank You!

•• Please take a few minutes to complete our brief Please take a few minutes to complete our brief

evaluation.evaluation.

•• You can now download our presentation if you wish.You can now download our presentation if you wish.

•• Paige Stirling Fox: Paige Stirling Fox: pstirlingfox@familydaycare.compstirlingfox@familydaycare.com

•• Terry Kelly: Terry Kelly: tkelly@familydaycare.comtkelly@familydaycare.com

• Our website:

http://www.familydaycare.com/oeyccentres/els.html