When used wisely, tech can open doors — but real-world experiences must always come first.
In today’s world, screens are part of everyday life. Even the youngest children see adults with smartphones, tablets, laptops, and TVs — it’s the digital air they breathe.
The question is no longer whether children should have access to technology, but how we can help them use it in ways that support, not replace, healthy early development.
For parents, early years professionals, and teachers, this article explores how to navigate the tricky line between embracing smart screens and protecting the real-world experiences that truly build brains.
There’s no doubt technology offers exciting opportunities for learning. Interactive apps can introduce new concepts. Videos can transport children to faraway places. Digital storytelling can fire imaginations.
But technology should never be a substitute for what young children need most: human relationships, real conversations, hands-on exploration, and physical movement.
Tech can supplement learning.
It should never supplant it.
Children under 5 learn best through people, not pixels. Every meaningful learning experience in early childhood is rooted in responsive interaction with adults and peers.
When thinking about tech use for young children, a simple question to ask is:
“Does this screen experience enhance, or replace, human connection?”
If it enhances — by sparking conversation, storytelling, shared laughter, or collaboration — it can have a positive role.
If it replaces — by isolating a child or encouraging passive, solo screen time — it risks undermining crucial areas of development.
Here are some evidence-based ways that early years professionals, teachers, and parents can weave tech into young children’s lives without letting it dominate:
Co-View, Co-Play, Co-Create
Don’t leave children to interact with screens alone. Sit with them, watch together, ask questions, and talk about what you see.
Example: Watch a nature documentary together and discuss the animals, or create a storybook on an app with the child instead of letting them swipe through one alone.
Choose Quality Over Quantity
Not all digital content is created equal.
Look for apps and programmes that:
• Encourage active participation (drawing, building, making choices)
• Offer rich language exposure
• Promote creativity rather than consumption
• Reflect diverse cultures and experiences
Avoid content that is purely fast-paced, passive, or reward-driven (such as endless “unlock the next level” games).
Set Clear Boundaries
Even “educational” screen time needs limits. Experts generally recommend:
• No screen time under 18 months (except for video calling)
• Limited, supervised screen use for 2–5-year-olds
• Tech-free mealtimes, bedtimes, and outdoor playtimes
Boundaries help children build healthy habits — and avoid the slippery slope into overuse.
Example: After reading a digital story about cooking, bake something together.
Or, after watching a clip about space, build a “rocket” from cardboard boxes.
Even the best intentions can go awry if tech becomes a digital babysitter. Common pitfalls include:
• Using screens to “buy” quiet time too often
• Handing over a device in every waiting room, restaurant, or car ride
• Relying on apps to teach basic skills (like letters and numbers) instead of embedding learning in daily routines
• Valuing “achievement” (completing levels, winning points) over real-world effort and persistence
Young children’s brains are wired to learn best through touch, movement, and rich sensory experiences — not through tapping and swiping.
If we want to raise resilient, curious learners, we must always prioritise real-world first learning.
Screens can be a wonderful tool when thoughtfully integrated, but they should extend, not replace, experiences like:
• Painting with fingers
• Dancing to live music
• Building dens under the kitchen table
• Listening to a story read with real emotion
• Running, climbing, splashing, and tumbling outdoors
These are the moments that build cognitive flexibility, emotional strength, and a love of learning that no app can replicate.
Tech as a Springboard, Not a Cage
In the right hands, smart screens can open doors.
They can connect, inspire, and create new pathways for discovery.
But our first duty — as parents, teachers, and early years champions — is to make sure technology remains a springboard, not a cage.
The best apps, games, and videos should always end with a child looking up from the screen, ready to move, talk, ask, create, and explore the real world around them.
Discover the ‘Sue Atkins School Readiness Toolkit’ — packed with practical tools, expert advice, and step-by-step strategies for preparing children for school (and life) in a tech-smart world.
From simple conversation starters to screen-free activity ideas, this essential guide helps parents, teachers, and early years professionals balance real-world experiences with positive tech use — giving children the skills, confidence, and spark they need to thrive.
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Discover more by clicking on this link here.
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