FAIRBORN — Teachers and operators at some day care centers in the Miami Valley said they limit screen time for children.
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Screen time may have less of an impact on academic achievement, according to a new Ohio State University study that reports there is no impact on academic success from screen time but children who had very high levels of screen time progressed slower socially.
“The kids are never on screens here and we don’t allow screen time,” Julie Seitz, director, Kiddie Launch Learning Center in Fairborn, said Wednesday. “We figure they get enough of that elsewhere.
“Really, a day care center is about learning things hands on. We do a lot of outside activities and outside play,” she told News Center 7′s Taylor Robertson.
And when children at Kiddie Launch do get screen time, they are only allowed on their iPads or phones if they are engaged in an educational, pre-downloaded game.
“We monitor it,” Seitz said. " They’re really good about it. They don’t know the WI-FI password so they cant get on the internet, we do not allow that.”
The same rules apply at On Purpose Learning Academy in Dayton.
“Oh no, In our center that is 100 percent not allowed,” said Kimberly Jarvis, executive director. “Tik Tok is not allowed, YouTube is not allowed. They get on educational games.”
Jarvis said her experience has shown her that the amount of screen time does affect children socially.
“It’s like their first go-to. No longer are kids requesting to play with games or do group stuff, Many of the kids want to be on the tablet,” she said.
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, children between ages 1 and 2 should stick of educational games and programs, children ages 2 to 5 should stick to about an hour of screen time on weekdays and three hours on weekend days.