Research shows that a significant number of children are using devices under the age of 5. With so much content available online, it can be difficult for parents to find options that are developmentally appropriate for their child.
We’ve asked experts for advice on choosing content and managing screen time to help give your child a positive introduction to the digital world.
In this article
- What ‘appropriate’ content means
- Considerations for neurodivergent children
- If a you don’t have time to review all content
- Why you might find it challenging to find content
- Managing the pressure of a child wanting to copy their older sibling
- Recommended shows, apps or platforms for children under 5
- Supporting resources
What does ‘appropriate’ content for children aged 5 and under mean?
The government has taken a really strong position this year. For children under 2, we should be avoiding screen content as much as possible. For children aged 2 to 5, access should be restricted to around an hour a day.
But, of course, we know that while this is the guidance, reality can make this advice tough to follow at times. Certainly, from the perspective of the For Baby’s Sake Trust, what’s most important is supporting babies and young children to develop positive, responsive relationships, build critical communication skills, play and get enough sleep.
So, when we’re talking about ‘appropriate’ use, it’s about considering how technology can support communication, connection and development when it is used.
Avoid fast-paced content where possible due to its addictive nature. And I would say, as a parent, once your child begins engaging with this content, it’s really hard for them to stop and disengage. Start as you mean to go on, because although this content can be a fix in the moment, it opens the door to your child watching more of this content.
Content-wise, we’re starting to look a lot more at the pace at which things are delivered and children’s ability to self-regulate. We know that certain online content can be very fast-paced. This can make it harder for children to shift their attention away and may make it more difficult for them to engage with and learn from the content.
There’s evidence to show that when ads are involved, the pace of content tends to be much quicker, and the algorithm begins driving this kind of content, so avoid this if possible.
Ideally, look for content that is slower paced, includes repetition and is developmentally appropriate for your child.
It’s quite tricky and you can get bombarded in terms of apps, games and YouTube programmes. There’s so much content out there, so how do you sift through it and find the good stuff? Sometimes, because of how algorithms work, the good stuff gets missed because the algorithm is recommending the ‘pow, pow, pow’.
It’s important to find the slower-paced stuff and actively choose the kind of content you want your child to watch. Doing this can eventually help to fix their algorithm.
Are there any considerations for a child who is neurodivergent?
There are additional considerations for neurodivergent children, who may find it harder to draw their attention away from highly engaging content. Fast-paced videos can be particularly difficult for some children to disengage from. Setting appropriate restrictions on these types of content and choosing slower-paced content to watch with your child can be beneficial.
It’s also important to be aware of assisted technologies and support available with tech for neurodivergent children. For some neurodivergent children, technology can give an element of structure to the day. Using technology or screens with your child is very much down to considering their individual needs.
Some Early Years settings can use technology and screens to support with emotional dysregulation or sensory overload as well.
There’s one particular child who comes to mind who sometimes finds it difficult to deal with sound. There was an occasion when his classroom became a little noisy. He put his hands over his ears, and it was clear that he wasn’t coping well with the situation. The educators learned to recognise when this was happening and would take him out of the classroom, where he could use calming apps on an interactive smart table.
We added apps where he could tap bubbles to pop them or where touching the screen would create fireworks, spreading colours all over the table. These sensory activities helped him to feel regulated again, meaning that he was able to return to the classroom.
What if a parent doesn’t have time to review every piece of content?
We see you and we hear you. As parents, we’ve all been in that space, and these are tough times. It’s about looking at where you do have choice, rather than sitting in shame and blame, because parents are dealing with an awful lot.
There are organisations like Internet Matters doing the work of looking at the different apps and platforms that are out there and providing guidance for parents. They have the time and resources to research these things, so parents don’t have to navigate all of it on their own.
Start with apps that we know are more developmentally appropriate. Platforms designed for children, like CBeebies and CBBC, are great sources. In my family, we use Safe Vision, which is an app that allows you to watch YouTube without Shorts or ads. It lets you select channels that you are happy with your kids watching and it gives you some stats on the kind of channel that it is to help you make an informed decision.
And use resources which have done the work for you like the Slow Media Project, which is from researchers and assesses content based on factors such as whether it is useful, whether it is slow-paced enough and whether children can follow the storyline.
Why do parents find it challenging to review content?
The For Baby’s Sake Trust did research with parents around that first 1001 days, and half of our parents said that they were experiencing mental health challenges. A third of those parents were experiencing relationship difficulties as well.
Families are really struggling with the cost of childcare provision as well as access to safe play areas. All these things have an impact around your choices. And so, it’s important not to sit in judgement as you can’t separate a wider environment from any of our behaviours.
It’s very easy to be judgmental if you’ve got access to parks and you’ve got a lovely big house and you’ve got a garden, but what if you haven’t got any of that? What if you’re in insecure housing, or if you’re working, you’re managing 2 jobs, you’re managing shifts, you’re struggling with childcare? We need care, we need compassion, we need space and we need help.
Parents are having a really hard time at the moment, and there’s a lot of guilt-tripping around screen time. Parents can be made to feel bad if others see their child in a pushchair with a device in front of them.
But strangers don’t actually know what has happened just before that moment. The parent might not have had any other choice, especially in the back of a car, trying to get from A to B while their child is upset and screaming. In that situation, giving their child a device to calm them down might be the only thing that they can do. It’s not always ideal, but I think we have to look at the context and understand why it happens.
How can a parent manage the pressure of a younger sibling wanting to copy their older sibling?
Simply putting bans on stuff or not allowing my child to do things has never really worked. We always try and discuss why something’s not appropriate and why they should avoid it. Another thing that we do is try to kind of watch things as a family. Sometimes those things are a little bit older for my younger child, and they get really excited by the fact that they’re allowed to watch it.
I know that’s not ideal for families where you’re busy and you don’t have time to all sit down like that, but I think it’s about making little compromises and keeping discussion open where you can.
Not everyone has access to multiple devices, so children might be sharing devices, which can make it even harder. It’s important to have your wits about you. If an older child has been watching YouTube and hands the device to the younger child, think about what they might have been watching before and if it’s appropriate.
To compare it the offline world, you wouldn’t let an older child take your baby to the park and put them on a normal swing without thinking about whether it was safe for them. You need to apply that same thinking to the online world.
And I know what it’s like to be a parent and I know that you’re so busy, you don’t always see what’s going on, but it’s the same thing. What might your little one see or look at or have access to? It’s about being really conscious of that and doing what you can. What’s in your control in terms of putting some of those safeguards in place around what all of your children are watching?
Are there any shows, apps or platforms you’d recommend for children under 5?
We really like Deadly 60, which is essentially a nature documentary, done in a fun way, featuring scary creatures like spiders and snakes, while still being educational and good to watch as a family.
Pawsitive Pugs and Pals is a YouTube series about these two dogs who live in the countryside, and they explore their garden. It was created after the founders saw their nephew doomscrolling and decided they wanted to create positive content for children. It’s very calming, and I’ve noticed that since watching it, my YouTube algorithm is slightly changing and trying to find similar positive content.
Another recommendation is from a father of a child with ADHD. It’s called BooSnoo!. While it’s essentially a marble run, it’s very calming and gentle while being educational. It’s available to watch on YouTube through Sky Kids.
To help parents support children, I’d also recommend The Baby Buddy app from Baby Zone. It’s really helpful for parents, providing tips and resources on ways that you can engage and play with your child. It offers advice on communicating with your baby and supporting your baby with reading and other things.
Good advice can also be found on platforms like CBeebies, NHS platforms and Best Start in Life.
