Children’s Media Resource List during COVID-19
by Rhonda Moskowitz, M.A. and Rebecca Dore, Ph.D.
As COVID-19 precautions move us into social distancing, many families are wondering how to understand the best way to use media with their children. Rhonda Moskowitz, founder of Practical Solutions Parent Coaching, LLC, and Rebecca Dore, Senior Research Associate at the Crane Center for Early Childhood Research and Policy, created a resource list about children’s media to help families navigate.
LINKS
Ohio Department of Education shares this document, Your Child’s Development: Birth to Age 5, which outlines a list of the most important developmental skills by year – none of which are learned from screens!
From ChildMind.org, the article “Can Screen Time Be Educational for Toddlers?” is a good read that is available in both English and Spanish.
Zero to Three provides research-driven information for parents and educators of the youngest children. It is a fantastic resource for everything. This link takes you directly to an article titled “Screen Time”. Additionally, Zero to Three’s “Screen Sense” report is an especially succinct and research-based resource.
The website www.Commonsensemedia.org provides great information and ratings about all types of media based on the age of your child.
Children’s Screen Time Action Network promotes a healthy childhood by helping parents reduce the amount of tie kids spend with digital devices. You can register for their free newsletter which offers plenty of great tips.
PBS offers great resources for families, including information on child development and educational shows and games based on high-quality research. The “Find Ways to Play” feature lets you choose your child’s age and a topic area and provides related screen and non-screen activities. You can also sign up for their free newsletter to get activities and articles weekly.
Screenfreeparenting.com is home to the research and practice of child-development based screen-free activities. Check out their 1 Million Screen-Free Activities for Young Kids.
BOOKS
Screenwise: Helping Kids Thrive (and Survive) in Their Digital World
Devorah Heitner, PhD, Founder of Raising Digital natives, ©2016
The Art of Screen Time: How Your Family Can Balance Digital Media and Real Life
Anya Kamenetz, © 2018
The Power of Showing Up: How Parental Presence Shapes Who Our Kids Become and How Their Brains Get Wired
Daniel Siegel, M.D. and Tina Payne Bryson, Ph.D, © 2020
Preschool Clues: Raising Smart, Inspired, and Engaged Kids in a Screen-Filled World
Angela C. Santomero, M.A. © 2018