Crane Center For Early Childhood Research and Policy
The Crane Center for Early Childhood Research and Policy is a multidisciplinary research center conducting research related to children’s learning and well-being, and seeking to impact early childhood policy and practice.
Our work ranges from multi-year, federally funded projects that examine outcomes of thousands of children and families, to program evaluation work in our state, to smaller scale analyses and briefs meant to inform policy makers and practitioners.
New research examined whether the quantity of toddlers’ exposure to media was related to language skills in accordance with the American Association of Pediatrics one hour per day recommendations.
The headlines around kids and screen time can be downright scary. One message that most experts will agree on is that moderation is key. If it seems daunting to set limits on something as pervasive as digital media, it’s helpful to remember three basic times when it’s important to do so: mealtime, playtime, and bedtime.
On average, children under 8 spend over 2 hours a day with screen media. Many parents are concerned about their children’s screen time. Research can provide guidance for using media in positive ways, one important takeaways is that children learn more from media when adults are involved and help them understand the material they are encountering.