Screen Timing for Preschoolers
“It’s digital time and we can reaffirm that Science and Technology is a boon for Humankind.”
Preschools generally don’t prefer classes online or opt prolonged digital sessions for kids considering their health and overall development in line with their age. Preschoolers should engage their time playing with friends, interacting and learning in a fun filled physical school environment for betterment of their social, brain, motor and overall development. Also, kids shouldn’t be trained to sit in front of a laptop or smart screen for long in normal scenario as it’s not good for their health and if they get too much sticked to that digital use, they might compensate their games and activities for the same. However, these things which we follow in normal situation are not possible now and we have to adapt ourselves and our kids to the changed circumstances.
We are living in the midst of chaos caused by the Covid-19 pandemic and our life is now adjusted to cope up with the situation. Physical pre-schooling has to be completely avoided so as to contain the disease. But we can’t bring a break in to the education and learning process of kids as that is in turn a break in to their fundamental development. We also have to be cautious about the mental health of kids who will be engaged with classes and assignments when pre-schooling is carried out through online medium. Yes! The only possible solution is online classes in this scenario.
The enthusiasm they show in attending classes is also because of the quest to see their friends online in video class rooms. The story narrations and rhymes and group works ensure their learning and development simultaneous to their physical growth. Also, the difficulty that parents might otherwise face in managing the kids with their work from home is quelled with the online classes. The emotional well being of kids also remain safe.
However the screen time is a serious concern. Not akin to the number of continuous hours kids spent in preschools, kids can’t be expected to be in the digital class rooms all day considering the health implications. Hence, the time slots of classes should be carefully designed with shorter durations of classes and timely breaks in between. WHO advises that the screen time for preschoolers should be limited to 2 hours.
Hello Kids were very particular that Pandemic should not be allowed to take toll on the learning and wellbeing of kids. Hence, Pritam Agarwal the founder of Hello Kids started online classes soon after the closing of preschools physically abiding the government protocols and considering the containment of spread of Corona virus. However he strictly instructed the teachers and management to carefully curate a time table for classes which doesn’t stress the kids and affects their well being and health.
The pandemic and all the anxieties of the present scenario hovering above force us to stick on to our only resort- online classes. This reaffirms that Science and Technology is indeed a boon for Humankind. It’s with the help of technology, many sectors of economy survives today. However those beautiful days when kids use to run around merrily like butterflies in the gardens of preschools and had all fun with their teachers and friends is been hopefully craved by every preschool teacher, parent and kid. Waiting for the Pandemic to vanish and peace to persist; and for the kids to confidently go back to school mask less.
See Also: How to Increase Higher Order Thinking?
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