Digital Media Use in Early Childhood: Birth to Six

Touchscreen technologies have opened up the digital world to children, but there are concerns about the dangers of too much screen time, inauthentic play, and isolation from parents and social skills. This book examines the realities of under six-year-olds' experiences of these technologies in the UK and Australia, drawing on a three-year research project. It explores how parents evaluate the opportunities and risks of childrens digital media use in the context of other significant influences, such as childrens time with grandparents, early childhood care and education.

Format: Hardback
Length: 268 pages
Publication date: 11 July 2024
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

The easy interface of touchscreen technologies like tablets and smartphones has enabled children to access the digital world from a very young age. But while some commentators are enthusiastic about how this can open a new world for fun, learning, and developing digital skills, others see the dangers of yet more screens, inauthentic play, and time spent isolated with electronic babysitters that detract from interaction with parents and learning social skills. Taking five as the age when children transition into formal education, this book draws on a three-year research project examining the realities of under six-year-olds’ experiences of these technologies in the UK and Australia. With a theoretical context including Vygotsky, Bruner, Bronfenbrenner and Flewitt, the book examines how parents of young children evaluate the opportunities and risks of children’s digital media use in the context of other significant influences such as children’s time with grandparents, early childhood care and education. Drawing on in-depth interviews with 22 families, and rich ethnographic data from observation and exchanges with their 29 children, aged four months to five years, the book reveals how digital technologies complement and challenge important aspects of daily life for infants, toddlers and preschoolers.

Weight: 562g
Dimension: 240 x 164 x 23 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781350120273