- Children under 2 do not learn as much from on-screen characters as physical ones.
- They also have trouble determining what is pretend, and what situations can happen in real life.
- Kids are more likely to learn if they relate to the characters.
- Sesame Street is great for vocabulary, and this could be because it’s highly structures and it mimics real social interaction (by pausing and having kids respond).
- When used appropriately, technology and media can enhance children’s cognitive and social abilities.
- Moonbug (the company that makes children’s shows; acquired CoComelon) presents some shows in ASL.
- Moonbug is expanding into a CoComelon game for ages 2-4 and their parents.
- The technology itself is fine. What matters is what children do with the technology.
- New technologies (telegraph, telephone, reading and writing) have always led to panicky speculation.
- More screen time in children has been shown to correlate with less physical activity, sleep, and positive social interactions, along with correlations to more behavior problems, aggression, and sadness.
- If parents spend lots of time on social media, so do their kids.
- Kids of parents with high social media use have a higher chance of depression.
- Distracted parents can’t give kids their full attention, with may stunt their growth.
- “Less social media” is not a blanket solution to depression.
- Adolescents with strict social media rules are more likely to be depressed.
- It may be harder to lower time on devices because Covid made them used for school, friends, etc.
- Similar to how it may be hard to quit drinking at the bar because someone’s made friends through it.
- Sichuan broadcasted lessons on TV during Covid because they were worried about children’s computer use.
- New Jersey produced TV education during Covid for the 300,000 children without internet.
- Children love, and get many benefits from, discussing the media they watch with their parents.
- Idea: child plays a game, then the parent gets a text about how they can continue the conversation (“Timmy matched five rhymes! What other words can you think of that rhyme with ‘life’?”).
- Touchscreens allow children to affect the media they’re seeing, and get that feeling of “I did that”.
- Children love feedback loops (like dropping things from high chairs and having them picked up again).