Active and Passive Screen Time for Children Aged 5–6

Abstract

The social situation of development largely determines the cognitive and emotional development of a child. The use of digital devices is an important part of the social situation in development of modern preschool children. By the age of 5–6, children start using digital devices independently and in various modes highlighting importance of understanding their usage patterns. A questionnaire was administered to mothers of 663 5–6-year-old children to investigate this topic. It is shown that passive screen time (time spent watching video content) is almost twice as long as active screen (time spent interactively using digital devices, for example, for videogames, communication, learning, creating). It is also shown that screen time on weekends is twice as much as on weekdays. Weekend screen time reaches three hours exceeds age norms by one hour, indicating insufficient engagement in physical activities, non-digital games, and interpersonal communication. There was no difference in screen time between boys and girls. Screen time is shown to be inversely correlated with maternal education level. It is found that less than 30% of children engage in screen time with their parents.