Children under five years old have an uncanny knack of knowing how to master new technology.
From smart phones to tablet computers and game consoles, it is not unusual to see toddlers intuitively swiping screens and confidently pressing buttons.
Even if parents enjoy the momentary peace that comes with handing a small child a gadget to play with, parents secretly worry that this screen time is damaging their brains.
But it appears that screens can be beneficial to learning – and the more interactive the experience the better.
Research from the University of Wisconsin, presented at a meeting of the Society for Research in Child Development this week, found that children aged between two and three were more likely to respond to video screens that prompted children to touch them than to a video screen that demanded no interaction.
I – Word Understanding
Hinder – to make something slow or difficult
Uncanny knack – surprising, unusual skill
Intuitively – naturally and easily understand
Interactive – requires talking or other activity
II – Have your say
1.According to this study “Kids who are interacting with the screen get better much faster, make fewer mistakes and learn faster.”
2.Psychologist Dr Aric Sigman has regularly said that children are watching more screen media than ever, and that this habit should be curbed because it could lead to addiction or depression.
3.Two hours of screen time each day is enough for children aged six and under.
