The Importance of a Screen-Free Childhood and How to Navigate the Holidays
Nov 24, 2025 | by Robin Barneby (Lead Preschool Teacher)
A Season of Connection
It's that time of year where many of us gather with friends and family near and far. Some take long road trips, air travel and some stay local balancing work and family life.
While we have opportunities for more connections with others, there is often more influence from screens that creep into our lives this time of year.
For thoughts on traveling with young children, please see Screen-Free Travel with Young Children.
Moving Forward Together as a Community
We recently met as a community for a Parent-Evening on Media and as Mr. Kyle so eloquently expressed, "We thank you for being vulnerable, open and honest when talking about this topic. It is through ongoing conversations such as these that make us more unified in our values."
As many of you prepare to visit extended family or friends during this break and our upcoming winter break, here are some talking points that may help support you in explaining why you are choosing to raise your child with such consciousness in this world saturated in digital living.
What the Research Shows
The effects of screen-time on children's language, social-emotional functioning, executive functioning and coping skills is alarming. More and more "experts" are sharing findings that continue to support our values around the protection of childhood.
Take a look….
From the American Psychological Association (article link)
The study revealed that the more children engaged with electronic screens, the more likely they were to develop socioemotional problems. This included both internalizing problems, such as anxiety and depression, and externalizing problems, such as aggression and hyperactivity. Conversely, children experiencing socioemotional problems were found to be more likely to turn to screens as a coping mechanism.
From the National Institute of Health (article link)
Adults should be aware of the impact of background television when children are present. Studies have shown that increased exposure to background television can have adverse effects on children's language usage, executive functioning, and cognition in children under the age of five. Excessive television viewing can also potentially affect language development and reading abilities at a young age.
From the American College of Pediatricians (article link)
Children and adolescents’ use of media has greatly increased in the past 5 – 10 years, and the type of media accessed has changed. Common Sense Media released a report in 2019 that surveyed a representative sample of 1677 families from all regions of the United States. Their report found 8 – 12-year old’s experience almost five hours of screen exposure each day, and teens are viewing screens for an average of almost 7 ½ hours each day. These numbers do not include time the children are using screens for school work.
This report also noted an unexpected increase in the amount of time that the tweens and teens were spending watching online videos. From 2015 to 2019, the percentage of children watching online videos daily more than doubled so that by 2019, 56% of 8 to 12-year-old and 69% of 13 – 18-year olds were watching every day, spending on average 56 to 59 minutes a day.
From John Hopkins Medicine (article link)
“Studies show that from toddlerhood to early school age, kids are at least seeing two hours of TV every day. Kids are not only getting accustomed to playing on screens more, but kids are seeing other people on screens, too.”
Babies as young as 4 months old are being exposed to digital media
Kids 8 or older: four out of five households have a video game device
75 percent of teens have smartphones
50 percent of these teens with smartphones say they feel addicted to their phone
Teens send a median of 100 texts a day
From the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry (article link)
Children and adolescents spend a lot of time watching screens, including smartphones, tablets, gaming consoles, TVs, and computers. On average, children ages 8-18 in the United States spend 7 1/2 hours a day watching or using screens. While screens can entertain, teach, and keep children occupied, too much use or the wrong content may lead to problems.
Parents may not always know what their children are viewing, or how much time they are spending with screens.
Content and exposure concerns include:
Violence, self-harm, and suicide
Videos of stunts or challenges that may inspire unsafe behavior
Sexual content
Negative stereotypes
Substance use
Cyberbullies and predators
Advertising aimed at your child
Misleading or inaccurate information
Too much screen time may lead to:
Sleep problems
Lower grades in school
Reading fewer books
Less time with family and friends
Not enough outdoor or physical activity
Weight problems
Mood problems
Poor self-image and body image issues
Fear of missing out
Less time learning other ways to relax and have fun
The Impact Is Clear
The negative and long-lasting effects are clear. The evidence on language development, social-emotional development, executive functioning, reading and writing, attention, sleep disturbances and moods, the list goes on and on.
Preparing for a Screen-Free Holiday
Take the time now to talk to family and friends prior to visits. Heartfelt requests for a screen-free holiday environment will continue to support our commitments to ourselves, our children and our community. You may find that it extends to a wider audience and you may find your thoughtful ways of approaching it are welcomed respite for others too.
Wishing you a holiday season of human connection, love, laughter - and lots of play!
Works Cited:
American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry. “Screen Time and Children.” Facts for Families No. 54, Updated June 2025, https://www.aacap.org/AACAP/Families_and_Youth/Facts_for_Families/FFF-Guide/Children-And-Watching-TV-054.aspx.
American College of Pediatricians. “Media Use and Screen Time – Its Impact on Children, Adolescents, and Families.” ACPeds, May 2020, https://acpeds.org/media-use-and-screen-time-its-impact-on-children-adolescents-and-families/.
American Psychological Association. “Screen Time Problems in Children.” APA, 2025, https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2025/06/screen-time-problems-children.
Johns Hopkins Medicine. “Screen Time Side Effects in Kids and Teens.” Johns Hopkins Medicine, https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/screen-time-side-effects-in-kids-and-teens.
Muppalla, Sudheer Kumar, et al. “Effects of Excessive Screen Time on Child Development: An Updated Review and Strategies for Management.” PMC, 18 June 2023, https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10353947/.