Earlier this week, the American Academy of Pediatrics released new guidelines (based on a decade of research), recommending that children under the age of two should never watch TV.
Should these babies be using apps on tablets or smartphones? The media consumption report mainly looked at “passive screens” like TVs and computer screens and didn’t go into the use of tablets or smartphones as entertainment devices.
James Peak, educational consultant at app developer Mindshapes, defended apps for toddlers, because they are interactive. He told eBookNewser: “Not all screens do the same job these days, and the report focuses on the effects of TV watching, rather than interactive experiences that the iPad can offer. Consider the difference between a TV show, and a well-produced educational app. Sticking your kid in front of a TV screen means they are behaving passively, and are not encouraged to interact with what is going on; they just watch. However, a good app will actively engage a child’s developing mind, encouraging core educational skills for preschoolers, with fine motor, reasoning, attention, working memory and spatial tasks.”
What do you think? Above we’ve embedded a video of a baby who having learned how to read magazines on an iPad, is confused by print versions.