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How can parents redirect the focus from quantity of screen time to the quality of what their children consume?

Professor Lisa Kervin is the Research Director at UOW鈥檚 Early Start, with a research focus on young childrens鈥� use of digital technologies, particularly tablets. She says the use of digital tablets themselves is not the issue.

鈥淩ather, the concern is what they are doing with them 鈥� the purpose of the experience, the quality of the apps, and the social contexts within which the apps are used鈥�, says Professor Kervin.

鈥淥ne thing parents, carers and educators are often unsure about is how to choose quality apps for their young children and learners, and how to facilitate the use of these apps in homes.鈥�

Professor Kervin, alongside Associate Professor Irina Verenikina and Clara Rivera, has developed a number of criteria for the selection of apps for play purposes, grounded in current research literature and leading theories of child development and play.

鈥淥ur criteria state that young children鈥檚 digital play should include spontaneous, self-initiated and self-motivated activities that engage children鈥檚 imagination,鈥� she says.

Professor Kervin also emphasises that engaging in digital play together with peers, older siblings or parents is important.

鈥淲hether it鈥檚 sharing a device or playing alongside each other, playing together stimulates children to talk out loud as they collaborate and solve problems in imaginative ways. We鈥檙e also seeing during this period of lockdown the power of technology to connect children to significant others and places that they otherwise are unable to access鈥�.

The team have developed a guide to empower parents and carers to look at any app and judge if it鈥檚 a good fit for their child and family.

Read  to learn the best ways for your child to interact with digital technology.

Professor Lisa Kervin, Associate Professor Irina Verenikina and Clara Rivera are investigators and members of the