The Common Sense Census: Media Use by Kids Zero to Eight published in the US in 2005 is an eye-opener to all educators and parents as it sheds light on the trends in screen time of children aged zero to eight. The report states that screen time for children is increasing considerably. According to the census, children under two years of age spend an average of one hour daily on screens. It adds also that screen activity in infancy is a normal activity and not an exception. This figure increases with age. 

For children aged two to four, the daily screen time is slightly more than two hours, whilst the daily screen time exceeds three and a half hours for children aged five to eight. Local studies conducted recently by the University of Malta, the Children Commissioner and the Health Authorities, amongst others, provide similar data and trends of screen time use amongst children. 

The increase in screen time can be attributed to several factors. Devices are readily available and their use is encouraged and promoted. Children observe adults using screens at home and at school, making their use natural. There are often multiple devices, which are easily accessible at home, at times with no supervision. Some children have their personal devices, even before they start compulsory schooling.

The use of devices in schools leads to a dual use of screens, that is, the same devices are providing learning and entertainment. However, the variation in how screen time is used for educational purposes versus entertainment is blurred and so are the limits. There is also a post-pandemic phenomenon, which naturalised screen use for all, increasing the daily screen time for all activities. With the busy family life, screens have become a babysitter or a device to calm down children and to have them engaged.

The menus offered by these devices aim to capture attention and to prolong further their use, also by giving instant rewards through personalised, stimulating and endless content.  Screens are also enablers of connections, friendships and communities, like the gaming or social media communities. Being away from screens is perceived as an exclusion and peer pressure plays an important role in the screen use.

For some adults if not for all, screens are safer for children than playing outdoors, also due to the limited safe outdoor spaces available. They are also an affordable entertainment compared to the organisation of activities to entertain children. The list goes on and on.

In the past decade, schools and children have been supplied with several devices from tablets to laptops to virtual reality gadgets. One of the aims was to equip students with the skills, which are essential to function in a 'modern' digital era. There are several resources in schools, which may or may not be used.

However, given the option, many children choose resources with screens instead of other resources. This effectively contributes to increased screen time. Moderation is therefore desirable and measures can be adopted in schools and elsewhere to limit screen time.

Screen-free days or other similar activities that increase the awareness about the need to limit screen time, are important. Such measures may lead to improved focus through better attention spans and sharper learning. They will foster real-world interaction through activities and human communication. Reduced screen time leads to increased active learning through engagement in creative hands-on activities. It also leads to improved mental wellbeing through the necessary breaks from constant connectivity. The benefits of these measures are endless.

Screen use by children will continue to increase. This unless there is greater awareness about the implications of this trend and unless there are active measures to limit the use of devices. No one will manage to compete with screens so alternative activities for children have to be devised.  These activities need to be meaningful and engaging.

Very often, a simple activity that is common knowledge for adults is unknown to children. We may therefore need to go back to our pre-screen days activities to engage children into something different and new - to get them off their screens.

Marco Bonnici is President of the Malta Union of Teachers