Children's screen time up by two hours a day in lockdown
Annette Rawstrone
Thursday, April 30, 2020
Young children are spending an extra two hours a day in front of a screen since lockdown began, according to research from children’s reading charity BookTrust.
And nearly a quarter (22 per cent) of parents admit that they are not doing any home education with the children.
More than a half (54 per cent) of parents report that they are finding it hard to stick to a timetable for primary-school aged children and three-quarters (75 per cent) say they are taking a ‘flexible’ approach to school work. Some 14 per cent of parents are not sharing books while schools are closed.
Time spent on digital devices by children aged four- to 11-years-old has risen by 121 minutes a day as they are using them for entertainment, educational purposes and socialising. Gaming (68 per cent), school work (54 per cent) and watching TV (49 per cent) are the most popular screen activities for children as parents report finding the lack of school structure tough.
The research, conducted ahead of tomorrow’s annual Pyjamarama (1 May) organised by BookTrust, also highlighted some positive interactions to come out of lockdown with reading and traditional children’s activities rising in popularity. A third of parents (34 per cent) say that their children are currently being read to more. While schools are closed they are also taking part in other activities such as board games (62 per cent), arts and crafts (60 per cent) and listening to music (51 per cent).
More than one in 10 parents (11 per cent) report that the extra time at home has meant that they or their partner have read their child a bedtime story for the first time ever. But 28 per cent of families said that they are ‘never’ reading bedtime stories during lockdown, with families on lower incomes least likely to be sharing books at bedtime.
‘Reading together isn’t just great to children’s educational outcomes; it also builds resilience, confidence and opens up conversations on difficult issues,’ said BookTrust director Gemma Malley. ‘With schools closed, reading together has never been more important, which is why we hope families everywhere will enjoy Pyjamarama on 1 May.’
BookTrust is working with popular children’s book authors and illustrators, including Ed Vere, Floella Benjamin and Chris Riddell, to provide a day of book-related fun for families. Children and parents are being encouraged to spend the day in their pyjamas and enjoy online drawing workshops, reading sessions and other story-based activities while raising money to provide books for families less able to afford them.
- Further information: www.booktrust.org.uk
