[Marcia]

Screen time is generally unnecessary and not recommended for young children, including ages 3–5, because it can interfere with critical areas of development. At this stage, children learn best through hands-on exploration, real-life experiences, movement, and human interaction—all of which screens cannot provide. In Montessori environments, real-world materials, rich conversations, and purposeful activity are prioritized to support the whole child—making screen time largely incompatible with these developmental needs.

[Trainer]

Great insights, Marcia! Your emphasis on hands-on exploration and real-life experiences highlights the importance of nurturing holistic development in young children.

[maria]

i feel screen time is ok in childcare if they are learning, no more than 1 hr per day but not for children under 2 years old

[Bri Bri La Paille]

personally I feel watching certain shows or videos can be beneficial to children, however i dont feel screen time in a daycare setting is appropriate.

[Trainer]

Bri, I appreciate your balanced perspective! It’s important to consider both the benefits and appropriateness of screen time in childcare.

[Catalina H]

Screen time should be limited heavily, or even not allowed, in childcare spaces. it has a negative effect on cognitive learning since even educational screens are passive play and children need to interact with their environments to learn.

[Trainer]

Great points, Catalina! Emphasizing active engagement over passive screen time is vital for children’s cognitive development.

[Benjamin]

excessive screen time is harmful. yes, it will be confusing for kids to differentiate between fantasy and reality .

[Trainer]

Great point, Benjamin! It’s crucial for children to develop a clear understanding of reality versus fantasy through balanced experiences.

[Rifka]

screen time in childcare is generally <strong data-start=”62″ data-end=”79″>not necessary and should be limited. Young children learn best through hands-on play, real-world exploration, and face-to-face interactions.

[Trainer]

Great insights, Rifka! Emphasizing hands-on play and real-world exploration promotes healthy development in young children.

[Katie]

I believe screen time in childcare should be very limited and intentional. Young children learn best through hands-on play, social interaction, and active exploration, not from passive viewing. If screens are used, they should be developmentally appropriate, educational, and used with adult guidance, not as a replacement for real-life learning. Active play, creativity, or relationship-building are essential to healthy development

[Trainer]

Great insights, Katie! Emphasizing hands-on play and adult guidance ensures a balanced approach to screen time in childcare.

[Alexis Piatt]

I personally don`t agree with much screen time of any kind for children until around the ages of being a teenager and then with guidance. However, I know we are in a rapidly evolving world of technology, and having my kid be uneducated and unfamiliar with it can do more harm than good, so I would rather do supported screen time where I get to help set the foundations for their knowledge on it.

[Trainer]

Great insight, Alexis! Balancing screen time with guidance is crucial for fostering healthy technology habits in children.

[Marissa C]

Screen time is a difficult topic especially now more than ever because of the fact that screens are more accessible by children of all ages. I think while some screen time may be valuable if it contains content that encourages thought and imagination, it is important to limit it while in a care center because we may not know what the limits of their screen time may be at home. It is crucial for brain development to explore and play with real things and in real time — something that can be achieved while at a care center.

[Ayan Hassan]

In my opinion, screen time should be <strong data-start=”211″ data-end=”251″>strictly limited or entirely avoided in childcare settings—especially for infants and toddlers. Research clearly shows that early brain development depends on <strong data-start=”374″ data-end=”413″>interactive, real-world experiences, not passive screen exposure. Screens not only fail to support developmental growth but can <strong data-start=”506″ data-end=”523″>actively harm executive functioning skills like attention, self-regulation, and language acquisition.I found it especially eye-opening that even so-called “educational” videos like <em data-start=”693″ data-end=”708″>Baby Einstein may <strong data-start=”713″ data-end=”734″>delay development rather than enhance it. Young children learn best through play, movement, exploration, and <strong data-start=”826″ data-end=”848″>social interaction—things that screens cannot replace.Given the American Academy of Pediatrics’ recommendations, I believe childcare providers have a <strong data-start=”982″ data-end=”1024″>responsibility to model healthy habits and protect children’s developmental windows by keeping screen use out of the daily routine. This approach supports both cognitive and emotional growth and encourages families to use their limited daily screen time wisely at home.

[Natalie McQuade]

I think screen time in early childhood settings should be extremely limited. Children learn language, socioemotional skills, and executive function skills by interacting with people (peers and caregivers) in person, face-to-face. By limiting any screen time in the early childhood learning center, then parents of older children (3-5 years of age) can have around an hour of screen time at home. For example if a parent would like to make dinner, but need to occupy their child, they may choose to put on a child-friendly show. That type of distraction shouldn’t be needed in a childcare center and hopefully us as early childhood education providers we can rely on our planned activities, music time, and made-up games instead of screen time.

[Trainer]

Great points, Natalie! Prioritizing face-to-face interactions fosters essential skills in young children. Your suggestions for alternatives are excellent!

[Chaelynn]

I think a small amount of screen time in childcare can be okay, especially when it’s used with a purpose. Technology is going to be a big part of children’s futures, so it makes sense to introduce it in a healthy and balanced way. For younger kids, I believe screen time should be focused on educational content. When I was little, I often used screen time to follow along with audio and visual books, which really helped me with reading. As long as it’s used intentionally and doesn’t replace hands-on learning or social interaction, I think screen time can actually be a helpful tool.

[Trainer]

Great insights, Chaelynn! Emphasizing purposeful and balanced screen time is essential for promoting healthy learning experiences.

[Josie Fort]

I think moderate screen time would be ok for older children because of how highly addicting screens are it could significantly impact growth on their skills.

[Hailey Woebke]

I think that screen time is okay for kids in childcare only if it is used for educational purposes, and the usage is monitored and children are not allowed to exceed a certain time limit per day or week.

[Trainer]

Great points, Hailey! Balancing educational screen time with monitoring and limits is essential for children’s healthy development.

[Gabriel]

At a daycare I believe it should not be done, frankly. Best leave that decision to parents and avoid conflict. I don’t wholly disagree that an hour a day of positive and educational content like Bluey for example could yield benefits, but again, that is up to the parent.