Rocking and Rolling. Media and Technology for Our Littlest Learners: Guidance for Educators and Families on Choosing Appropriate High-Quality Content

children playing with toys in front of an ipad

From 5:30 to 6:30 p.m., Ms. Thompson greets families and other home caregivers as they pick up their toddlers. Linda, mother of 18-month-old Esme, strikes up a conversation about how her friend鈥檚 child care center is introducing tablets in its toddler and pre-K rooms. 鈥淚s our center thinking of going in a similar direction?鈥� she asks. 鈥淚 just want to make sure that Esme is prepared for our high-tech world.鈥�

Ms. Thompson isn鈥檛 sure how to respond. She is very familiar with American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) guidelines that suggest screen media should be used sparingly before age 2, and she can鈥檛 imagine introducing tablets in her toddler classroom. But at the same time, she understands Linda鈥檚 concerns and knows that many of the children in her room already use mobile devices at home. Just last week, 2-year-old Marcus鈥檚 father asked Ms. Thompson if she could suggest any apps that would help Marcus practice his numbers and the alphabet during an upcoming car trip. Ms. Thompson made a mental note to do some research on the topic; however, she feels uncomfortable recommending apps for children so young.

Young children today live in a digital,听screen-filled听world. Families often rely on technology as a helpful tool to engage their children so that they can accomplish tasks around the house or enjoy a much needed evening out at a restaurant. In addition, schools and programs are feeling more and more pressure to respond to our increasingly technological world by preparing children to be proficient technology users. Early childhood educators may feel caught in the middle鈥攚anting to do what鈥檚 best for children鈥檚 early development while also feeling pressure from both families and administrators to 鈥渒eep up鈥� with a changing world.

We know that children birth to age 3 should engage in very little screen time. As highlighted in the opening vignette, different organizations provide recommendations regarding young children鈥檚 time and interactions with media and technology. In the medical realm, the AAP discourages the use of screen media other than video-chatting for children younger than 18 months. High-quality programs and apps can be appropriate for children 18 to 24 months鈥攂ut only when used with an adult. Indeed, letting children this age use media by themselves should be avoided (AAP 2016).

In the realm of early childhood education, 51吃瓜网鈥檚 joint statement with the Fred Rogers Center echoes the AAP鈥檚 recommendation: for infants and toddlers, technology and digital media should serve mainly as a way to strengthen their relationships with adults (51吃瓜网 & Fred Rogers 2012). 51吃瓜网鈥檚 updated position statement on developmentally appropriate practice (DAP) adds to this, stating that 鈥渢here is no evidence that development is enhanced when children younger than age 2 independently use devices鈥� (2020, 13).

However, when scaffolded by an adult and used responsibly and intentionally鈥攁s one of many options to guide teaching and learning鈥攖echnology can be a tool for supporting children鈥檚 development (51吃瓜网 2020). Further, DAP鈥檚 emphasis on social and cultural contexts and teaching in intentional, responsive ways can extend to the technology context when teachers consider families鈥� at-home media use and decisions about听screen time.

Thanks to their knowledge of child development and developmentally appropriate practice, it is possible for educators of the very young to select and use technology that enhances learning, creativity, and interactions with others (51吃瓜网 & Fred Rogers 2012). This article offers guidance on choosing high-quality media for children as young as toddlers. It also outlines talking points to help families make informed decisions about technology use for their children. I base these recommendations on my years of research and consulting in the area of children鈥檚 learning from media and technology. My work lies at the intersection of media studies, developmental psychology, and early childhood education, with a focus on applied research that creates tangible insights for families听and educators.

When Is the Right Time for听Screen Time?

There really is no rush. Research consistently shows that later onset of media use is correlated with better developmental outcomes (Tomopoulos et al. 2010; Lin et al. 2015). For example, Nathanson and colleagues (2014) found that children who watched television before the age of 2 had lower executive functioning skills in preschool compared to children who did not engage with television until after their second birthday. Other studies have found similar links between media use before age 2 and developmental issues, like language delays (Chonchaiya & Pruksananonda 2008; Karani et al. 2022) and decreased executive functioning (Barr et al. 2010; McHarg et al. 2020). It is important to note that these studies are all correlational. That means there is no evidence that screens are causing developmental delays. Rather, there are likely other factors鈥攕uch as the displacement of other important activities like book reading or pretend play, and/or the quality of the content children are engaging with, or how they go about interacting with it鈥攖hat may lie at the heart of听the issue.

When families and other home caregivers ask about increasing toddlers鈥� use of technology in the early learning setting, remind them that their children will have plenty of time to become technology proficient in later years of schooling. Decades of research have shown that young children, especially those younger than 3, learn more, and more efficiently, from听face-to-face听interactions compared to when the same material is presented on a screen鈥攁 phenomenon known as the听video deficit听(Anderson & Pempek 2005; Jing &听Kirkorian 2020).

That said, educators can also reassure families that a little bit of screen time here and there will not hurt their children in the long run. For children younger than 2, screen use should be limited to real human connections, like video chatting with a grandparent who lives far away (51吃瓜网 & Fred Rogers 2012; AAP 2016). For 2- and 3-year-olds, if a half hour of television is needed so that a family member can take a shower or get dinner on the table without anyone having a meltdown, so be it. The key is to make sure children are engaging with high-quality content and families鈥� contexts听are considered.

Choosing听High-Quality Content

Technology and interactive media should expand children鈥檚 access to new yet relatable ideas and playful and engaging content. Apps and other tools should encourage active and empowering interactions; they also should provide scaffolding to help each child progress in their skills development and serve as a supplement鈥攏ot a replacement鈥攆or real, hands-on learning experiences (51吃瓜网 2020).

More than 50 years of research on programs like听Sesame Street听and other curriculum-driven educational shows have demonstrated that children听can听learn from screen media when the content is developmentally appropriate and created with clear educational goals (Fisch & Truglio 2001; Choi 2021). Just as with any other tool or learning experience, educators should use their professional judgment when choosing which technology or interactive media tool to use in their learning settings and as they work in partnership听with families.

However, the task of guiding children toward听high-quality听content can be overwhelming, especially for families: In our multiplatform world, a search for 鈥渆ducational apps鈥� in the app store brings up thousands of results. The 鈥淜ids TV鈥� filter on Netflix brings up hundreds of options. To help sift through this sea of content, Hirsh-Pasek and colleagues (2015) have developed the Four Pillars of Learning framework to serve as a guide for choosing (and creating) apps that promote active, engaged, meaningful, and socially interactive learning. Apps that are appropriate for toddlers and their older peers invite children to actively think and participate and do not distract from learning with flashy pop-ups or sounds that are unrelated to learning goals. Based on this framework, Zero to Three has created a resource to help early childhood educators and families make decisions about apps for young children. (鈥淩esources for Choosing听High-Quality听Content," below,听highlights this and other guidelines for educators听and families.)

When considering more traditional content like television programs and movies, both educators and families can look for programs backed by an educational curriculum. A simple shortcut is to do a browser search for 鈥淸Name of show] curriculum.鈥� If the first couple of results include resources that enumerate learning goals, the show probably has an educational framework or curriculum behind it. Teachers (and families) can review and consider using these curriculum guidelines and activity suggestions to extend learning from the screen to children鈥檚 everyday routines and听play times.

Resources for Choosing听High-Quality Content

Zero to Three (2018) has developed a flowchart () for assessing the educational quality of apps for young children. The E-AIMS model it uses was developed from the Four Pillars of Learning framework (Hirsh-Pasek et al. 2015), which is meant to guide app creators, educators, and families in creating and choosing apps that promote active, engaged, meaningful, and socially听interactive learning.

鈥淟ife鈥檚 Little Lessons鈥� () is a collection of resources designed for early childhood educators. It is based on the popular PBS KIDS show听Daniel Tiger鈥檚 Neighborhood.听This resource covers 10 topics from Fred Rogers鈥� social and emotional learning curriculum, such as 鈥渘ew experiences,鈥� 鈥渕ad feelings,鈥� and 鈥渦sing your words.鈥� Each topic has teacher tips, a suggested classroom activity, and an activity to share with families and other caregivers. (Other PBS KIDS shows offer听similar resources.)

Common Sense Media () is a highly regarded resource for families and educators. It reviews all kinds of content for children, including television shows, movies, books, apps, and video games. Common Sense鈥檚 team of expert reviewers rates content based on its appropriateness for ages 2鈥�18 in several categories, such as educational value, positive messages, diverse representations, violence and scariness, and sex, romance,听and nudity.

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Is Interactive Technology Better than 鈥淧assive鈥� Television?

A common refrain heard from both families and educators is that having young children play a game on a tablet is better than having them watch television 鈥減assively.鈥� But is that really the case? The short answer:听not always.

A research team from Northwestern University (Alad茅 et al. 2016) conducted an experiment to test this question in the context of early math learning. Young children either played an interactive game on a tablet or watched a noninteractive video that displayed the same content. The children who played the game interactively were better able to apply the math skill to a very similar task. But the children who watched noninteractive video performed better when asked to apply the math skill to a new situation. Researchers concluded that interactivity is helpful for practicing a specific skill (similar to the benefits of rote memorization in elementary school) but that watching content noninteractively allows children to learn the lesson in a more holistic way that can be more easily applied to听new contexts.

Other studies have shown similar results (Schroeder & Kirkorian 2016). In fact, some leading developmental psychologists and educational media experts recommend referring to television and the like as 鈥渞eceptive鈥� rather than 鈥減assive鈥� media. This, they say, more accurately reflects the fact that young children are still highly activated when they watch television (Anderson &听Davidson 2019).

The key message for educators and families is that high-quality television can be just as beneficial for learning as interactive games and apps. Educators might choose to show clips from educational television shows that supplement and reinforce a lesson plan, project, or other learning experience. They can also make use of instructional activities that are designed to accompany these shows (see the 鈥淟ife鈥檚 Little Lessons鈥� example in the 鈥淩esources for Choosing听High-Quality听Content鈥� above). Families, in turn, should not feel pressured to purchase a tablet for their children for fear of missing out on learning opportunities.

Characters听Are Key

Research has also indicated that the characters featured in children鈥檚 media content can be an important conduit for learning. Children (and adults) often form strong, friendship-like attachments with their favorite media characters. This is known in the research as听parasocial relationships听(Calvert & Richards 2014). Studies have shown that children learn more from these trusted familiar characters than from unfamiliar characters who present the same content (Lauricella et al. 2011; Gola et al. 2013). Both educators and families can facilitate this learning through, for example, pretend play following a child鈥檚 favorite program: 鈥淒o you think the boat will sink or float in the water table (or bathtub)? Let鈥檚 test our hypothesis like Sid the Science听Kid did!鈥�

Conclusion

Early childhood educators鈥攊ncluding those who teach our youngest learners鈥攃an play a vital role in shaping children鈥檚 screen habits and guiding them toward healthy media use and media literacy. (For more on this, read听鈥�Framing: How We Think About 51吃瓜网,鈥� by Faith Rogow.) As outlined in the DAP framework, integrating technology and digital media in the early learning setting means that children are focused on a specific activity or exploration鈥攏ot the technology itself (51吃瓜网 2020). Still, engaging in conversations with families and other home caregivers about appropriate media use requires a balanced and thoughtful approach. By staying informed, sharing evidence-based information, and respecting the various needs and constraints of different families, educators can foster a positive and supportive partnership with families in navigating screen use in and outside of early learning programs for the听youngest generation.

Think About It

How have you used technology and media to learn something new? What aspects of the experience helped or hindered听your learning?
What are your personal beliefs about children鈥檚 technology and media use? How might these beliefs influence听your practice?
What have you learned from the families in your setting about their interests, questions, or concerns and their use of technology听and media?
Did any of the research mentioned in this column surprise you? How might you use these research findings in relation to your own practice and in your partnerships with the families in听your program?

Try It

While there is no need to introduce technology to children younger than 3, there are ways to do so that can support learning and mitigate negative effects. Whether you are considering introducing technology and media into your setting or looking for tips to share with families and other home caregivers, following are a few takeaway messages from听the research.

Use repetition intentionally.听Predictability is key. Children learn best from screens when they are familiar with the content and can map new ideas onto familiar ones. Try finding a few apps or shows that teach the same idea or skill and encouraging young children to rotate through that content鈥攁longside related, nondigital experiences鈥攗ntil you can tell they have mastered听the skill.
Foster the relationships children form with characters.听Children who develop strong, friendship-like attachments to media characters are more likely to learn from them. If the children in your setting have a strong bond with a television character, try finding high-quality games or apps that use that character to deliver听educational content.
Look for responsive media that encourage open-ended dialogue.听Find media that invite children to respond to and interact with the content. This can occur in traditional receptive media (鈥淒ora says, 鈥榃here is the map?鈥� Can you point to it?鈥�) as well as in apps and games where children are prompted with open-ended questions that encourage them to think and听speak aloud.
Reinforce learning through coviewing.听Teachers and other trusted adults can highlight and reinforce the content children engage with onscreen by watching and playing along with them. Try coviewing and asking questions to help bring content to life: 鈥淲hat was the silliest part of that story?鈥� 鈥淗ow did the characters solve听the problem?鈥�
Reduce distractions.听Remember that learning from media is hard work for little ones! Whenever possible, try to reduce background distractions. If there are sound or visual effects, see if they are helping children to notice and engage with the main ideas or skill鈥攐r pulling their focus away from听that content.
Engage with families.听Connect with families about what media use looks like in their homes. Ask them how they feel about their little ones using technology at home and in the early learning setting: Are they worried about too much screen time or excited about their children鈥檚 media use? Understanding where families are coming from can allow you to develop practices that complement rather than compete with home media use. Importantly, check in with families regularly since questions and views may emerge or change over a听program year.

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Rocking and Rolling is written by infant and toddler specialists and contributed by ZERO TO THREE, a nonprofit organization working to promote the health and development of infants and toddlers by translating research and knowledge into a range of practical tools and resources for use by the adults who influence the lives of young children.

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Audience: Faculty, Family, Student (higher education), Teacher

Age: Infant/Toddler, Preschool

Topics: Other Topics, Technology and Media, YC, Rocking and Rolling

Fashina Alad茅

Fashina Alad茅,听PhD, is an assistant professor at Michigan State University in Communication Arts and Sciences and Human Development and Family Studies. Her research explores how media and technology can be used to positively impact children and families.听[email protected]

51吃瓜网

51吃瓜网