Screen time: such a hot topic these days and you may be tired of hearing about it. Is it really that bad? It helps keep the kids busy while you get things done or find some time to relax, no judgement! We all need some down time! BUT why is it being talked about so much?
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Hey there, it’s Lauren! I’ve been a practicing pediatric speech-language pathologist (SLP) since 2016. I primarily work with children 3-5 years old in the schools with a sprinkling of older elementary aged children in my private practice. One topic that is near and dear to me is…screen time! I have watched the effects of screen time over the years on young developing brains, and to be honest, none of them are very positive. So, let’s get into it!
What’s the big deal? We had screen time growing up!
Most reading this post are presumably millennials, like me, or younger. Or maybe you are a seasoned SLP, a grandparent, or guardian. Either way, I’d say my generation is the beginning of the end. Sure, we had cartoons, movies, and video games. Sure, I watched them along with Soap Operas I was probably too young for – lol. But let’s take a look at a few differences between our cartoons in the 80s and 90s and today’s cartoons.
Then: Hand drawn animation, calm/muted colors, less scene changes (Franklin, Arthur, Scooby-Doo)
Now: Digital animation, bright colors, frequent scene changes (Cocomelon, Blippi, Paw Patrol)
When we were children, we didn’t have as much access to screens. We had the television, a few video games (which were also made very differently), and maybe a Gameboy (older Gameboy screens were less colorful and therefore less stimulating).
We did not have our own devices such as iPads to stare at and stimulate our brains all day long. We did not have smart phones to keep checking every 2-3 minutes or to entice us into doom scrolling for hours at a time (guilty!!). We most definitely did NOT have screens in our classrooms unless we were writing a paper or in typing class! We took trips to the library to look up information for our papers and learned from textbooks, hands on activities, or worksheets.
We have gone from creating entertainment and learning scenarios that were calming to having constant stimulation in an already overstimulated world.
It is all about instant gratification, but instant gratification causes many problems with executive functioning. Not sure what this is? Keep reading below!
Screens Today
The issue with screen time now is that children are receiving way too much of it. Screens literally change the wiring in the brain. This rewiring is still undergoing a lot of research, but we already have plenty of evidence that overuse of screen time can definitely impact sensory regulation, attention, behavior, communication skills, executive functioning and more in negative ways. Let’s talk about how instant gratification and overly stimulating the brain affects executive functioning skills.
What is Executive Functioning
According to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) executive functioning “is a set of interrelated, higher-order cognitive processes necessary for goal-directed behavior. These skills enable individuals to manage, regulate, and control their thoughts, emotions, and behaviors to plan, initiate, and execute tasks successfully.”
A deficit in executive functioning can negatively impact a child in school or at home. As that child grows into an adult, they are expected to independently show up for work on time, demonstrate professionalism, complete job tasks adequately and in a timely manner, maintain a home, pay bills, etc.
What does this look like in the preschool
I primarily work with children who are 3-5 years old, and these are the struggles I see most children having, regardless of identified delays or deficits:
- putting their own coats on
- completing simple tasks such as tracing their name
- answering simple -WH questions (what, where, who)
- difficulty responding to their name the first time it is called – just to name a few.
But what they CAN do is tell me all about the episode of a show they watched before school, their favorite video game character, the plot of the video game they play with dad (usually with shooting or physical violence involved), etc.
Their brains are so full of the stimulation they receive, it seems as though they are watching it in their minds while sitting in a classroom or therapy session. This is when they should be attending to and participating in learning activities, but they are struggling.
This overstimulation also feeds into behaviors due to lack of sleep or lack of instant gratification when screens are not present. I have seen children come into school, who seem very tired. When I ask why they are so tired they admit to being on their screens most of the night. Children are having regular meltdowns due to poor problem-solving, difficulties with initiation, communication breakdowns, and more.
Don’t miss our upcoming blog series on behavior for more!!
What About Educational Screentime
Before moving on, we can’t forget the aspect of “educational” videos and games. The fact is these seem great, but they are still very overstimulating, they reduce the time a child is actively playing, and they limit interactions with parents, siblings, peers, etc.
Science has proved kids learn best with hands-on experiences through play and interactions with others rather than two-dimensional activities. You can learn more about that in our recent blog post: Play: The Most Important Childhood Skill
If you are going to use screentime, ASHA and the American Academy of Pediatrics *cited below* recommend “high quality” screentime. This is where your “Educational” videos and games would come in.
Some things to look for in “high quality” screen time:
- Interactive: does the child have opportunities to engage by answering questions, singing along, or manipulating something in a game?
- Lower stimulation: think of slower frames, less movement, such as Sesame Street or Bearenstain Bears
- Co-Watching: watch with and engage with your child during a show to keep them from “zoning”
So, what can you do?
As a parent you can greatly limit screen time. You can also control what shows your child is watching. Maybe begin picking some older shows with muted colors and slower scene changes. If you want a current cartoon, Bluey is one of the best options. The main idea here is to LIMIT, LIMIT, LIMIT.
Guidelines for Screentime:
Here is what The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends for screentime:
Under 18 months: No screen time for entertainment (video chats like facetime are okay)
18-24 months: A small amount of a high-quality program – if you choose
2-5 years: A maximum of 1 hour per day, preferably with you watching with your child so they do not have independent access to the screen.
Check out ASHA’s handout on being Tech Wise with your children.
Download all 3 handouts:
Or get them by age range:
Infant: https://screentimenetwork.org/resource/be-tech-wise-baby
Toddler: https://screentimenetwork.org/resource/be-tech-wise-toddler
Preschooler: https://screentimenetwork.org/resource/be-tech-wise-preschoolers
NOTE: What about Gestalt Learning Processors (GLPs)?
I won’t get too far into this, but maybe you are a parent of a child with autism or an SLP with autistic clients on your caseload. Maybe you’ve heard of GLP and are aware of the theory that screen time can help GLPs learn and use language.
If you are reading this and aren’t aware of what a GLP is I will provide a small breakdown for you:
“Typical” language learners learn language from “small to big”: single words that build into sentences.
GLPs learn language “big to small”: using chunks of language and eventually breaking them down into single words.
Because GLPs pick up on “chunks” of language they typically produce phrases from parts of shows they watch. Oftentimes they will want to watch a particular episode and rewatch the one scene with their preferred phrase in it repetitively.
While there is nothing wrong with this, if a parent and/or SLP does not know where the child picked the phrase up from it is difficult to use it to promote new vocabulary using the preferred phrase.
OR the child’s speech is not intelligible enough to know exactly what they are saying which can cause frustration for the child. Also, we can go back to the known fact that consistent screen time will affect their sensory systems, executive functioning skills, and more just the same as neurotypical children.
How Else Can We Support GLP Language Development
When it comes to screen time for GLPs I would like you to consider that just as a show has a script, we can also make scripts during everyday tasks. Creating routinized scripts during daily routines could make language more functional for GLPs, just be sure to keep each phrase short and sweet.
For example, every time your child is washing their hands you can say the same script, “Turn on water (pause), Get soap (pause), scrub, scrub, scrub (pause), Time to rinse! (pause), Water off (pause), All done!”
Because GLPs pick up chunks of language you want to keep phrases short and pause between them to add time for your child to process what you have said.
You could also use scripts in books that you read together and incorporate them into daily routines such as the book Brushy Brush: https://amzn.to/4t0M8XT. You can use parts of this book to script when your child is brushing their teeth. Don’t overcomplicate or overthink it. This is very similar to narrating for your child, for more info on that Narrating for Successful Language Development
Other ideas would be to use fun intonations during activities such as excitedly saying “weeeeee!!” while going down a slide. Singing or listening to music is another great way GLPs can pick up language. Screens do not need to be the end all be all for GLPs – let’s help them make their language functional!
What to do instead of screen time?
Play, read, interact!!! We have very informative blog posts on each of these topics:
Replace Screens with Toys
We have a great handout on Screen Time Alternatives that provides some of the common ways screentime can “Creep” into your day as well as a list of alternative activities. Find this, and many other resources, in our Resource Library.
Below is a list of some recommended toys that promote executive functioning skills:
- Magnetic Ice Cream Color and Number Puzzle: https://amzn.to/4r9vy6w
- Wooden Geoboard: https://amzn.to/4t2fHsi
- Wooden Toddler Puzzles: https://amzn.to/45tnoxx
- Wooden Animal Stacking Blocks: https://amzn.to/4afsBvx
- Magnetic Tiles: https://amzn.to/4q3A5Xc
A Note to End On
The more you support your child in these engaging activities the stronger their executive functioning and language development will be!
Our children are so special to us, and we want to make things fun and easier for them, but we must remember that one day they will be adults, and as scary as it may seem, we are the ones in charge of teaching them the skills needed to face this world independently.
Screens may be easy but they cannot teach your child important skills and more importantly, they cannot replace YOU!
References:
Screens Make Dreams and Talents Die, (2025). 1000 Hours Outside (podcast). Guest Speaker: Mike McLeod. Retrieved from: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-1000-hours-outside-podcast/id1448210728?i=1000743162318
The Problems of Overconsumption With Modern-Day Cartoons. Albiona Leka (2024). Retrieved from: https://thesciencesurvey.com/editorial/2024/07/07/the-problems-of-overconsumption-with-modern-day-cartoons/?utm_source=chatgpt.com
Executive Function Deficits (Practice Portal). American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. Retrieved from: https://www.asha.org/practice-portal/clinical-topics/executive-function-deficits/
Be Tech Wise With Baby. American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. Retrieved from: https://screentimenetwork.org/resource/be-tech-wise-baby
Be Tech Wise With Toddler. American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. Retrieved from: https://screentimenetwork.org/resource/be-tech-wise-toddler
Be Tech Wise With Preschooler. American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. Retrieved from: https://screentimenetwork.org/resource/be-tech-wise-preschoolers
When Models Aren’t Sticking: Supporting Minimally Speaking GLPs (online training). Katja Piscitelli (2025). Retrieved from: https://ableu.ablenetinc.com/CourseRegPage?type=&webinaa_id=aDATO0000001xR34AI&presenter_id=aDBVT0000000GGB4A2&presenter1_id=aDBVT0000000GGB4A2&presenter2_id=&presenter3_id=
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