Screen-Time: We Give a Hoot

Screen-Time. It’s one of the most hotly debated topics in early childhood. How much time is too much? At what age is it ok? How do I make decisions about what my child can and can’t play.

I actually don’t like the term “screen-time”. It implies that the most important variable towards a healthy media relationship for our children is the amount of time they spend on screens, whereas the focus should really be on what they are doing on those screens.

But this question presents a new challenge. With so many kids Apps in the App store, it can be hard for us parents to know what Apps are high-quality, and be purposeful in making selections for our kids. We are also often asked by our users which Apps we would recommend.

In that light, we’re thrilled to introduce a new series called Screen-Time: We Give a Hoot. This series highlights Apps that are high-quality, safe, and fun. Some are reading-focused and some are not. Some have educational goals and some are just plain fun. Because these are kids, so playing is learning, right?

We will go straight to the heart of those Apps, providing you with a bit of background on them and interviewing their creators. Each month, we will highlight a new developer, and learn about their Apps, why they made them, and a bit about their companies and them as a person. You can look for some blogs in the next few months featuring the people behind amazing Apps like Sago Mini, Duck Duck Moose, and Montessori Preschool.  

Most importantly, hopefully this series will give you some good ideas so that next time your child asks, “Can I download a new game on my iPad”, you can feel good about saying yes!

Stay tuned in the coming weeks for the first blog in this series!