Playing computer games, watching television and playing games on phones or other consoles mean very few children will be out and about in Britain’s parks this summer. Instead, they’ll be totting up the equivalent of 12 days solid in front of a screen.
Parenting on Female First
The study of 2,000 British parents found the average child will spend at least three hours 11 minutes a day on screens this July and August. And one in three parents studied have cause to believe their child may be addicted to the gadgets and electronic games that dominate their daily lives.
The research by Galt Toys also found one in eight kids now owns an iPad, with the average British child having £581 worth of gadgets in their bedroom alone.
John McDonnell, Managing Director for Galt Toys, said: “There is an increasing digital presence in children’s lives these days and technology has become a massive part of their daily routine from a very early age.
“The results show that there is a very real concern from parents regarding the amount of time their children spend staring at screens and the impact it’s having on their moods and lifestyle overall."
A tired six in ten parents admitted they regularly put their child in front of the TV or a games console on rainy days because it’s just easier. While 30 per cent say they are forced to put their kids in front of the TV regularly because there is simply nothing else for them to do.
And one in four parents wish they could get their kids away from the screens more, while a despairing 64 per cent would like to see their child play more traditional non-electric games regularly.
In fact, two thirds of parents say their child’s moods are affected after time spent playing computer games or prolonged periods in front of the screen. Half of the parents who noticed a difference after screen time said their child becomes short tempered and irritable, while ‘dozy’ and ‘in a world of their own’ were commonly used to describe the change in mood.
“While there is no doubting the benefit of technology in enriching modern children’s lives, it is also wise to be aware of the dangers of over exposure to screens and a reliance on gadgets that remove the need for proper social interaction," John added.
The average child will play at least eight hours 26 minutes of video games every week throughout the summer and watch at least four films. Sheer devotion to screens has led over a third of parents to believe that today’s kids have less imagination than those of previous generations.
A third of parents said their child never goes anywhere without a phone, while one in six claims their child is in constant possession of a portable games console. While 70 per cent of the study think ‘gone are the days’ of kids playing outdoors together in big groups – people thought a reliance on gadgets and being constantly connected was the biggest reason for this.
Shorter attention spans, a general lack of interest and safety issues were also key in leading parents to believe outdoor play is a thing of the past.
John said: “Our routines are so often shaped by what is convenient and easy, and screen technology, while enabling, doesn’t always encourage positive social interaction for children.
“It is really worrying that so much of children’s holiday time might be spent staring at a screen this summer.
“The holidays don’t have to be like this, even if the weather is bad. Playing traditional games as a family or encouraging children to make things and use their imaginations is a far more effective and quality way to pass the time," he concluded.
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