Screens are now everywhere (TV, computers, mobile phones, tablets, etc.) so they have fatally entered the lives of young children, but there are constantly rumors that spending too much time on screens hurts children.
In the past, research has linked screens to the appearance of vision problems, and even the appearance of distraction-related syndromes, and now a study links screens to a lack of imagination.
Spending too much time in front of a screen has a negative effect on children's imagination, according to a survey of 1.000 kindergarten teachers at daynurseries.co.uk.
While there are many who argue that engaging in technology contributes to children's development, experts say that spending too much time in front of a screen can cost the imagination.
Specifically, 48% of kindergarten teachers said that there are children with imaginary friends in kindergarten, 72% agreed that this percentage of children has decreased significantly in the last five years and 63% considered screens responsible for reducing ingenuity.
The views of experts vary. David Wright, owner of Paint Pots Nursery in Southampton, agrees with the findings and explains that when children were more free, they forced their minds to do something creative, such as making an imaginary friend, while today, take pictures from TV or tablets, which reduces the ability to use their own imagination
"We no longer let children get bored," he says.
A recent study from the University of Alberta in Canada also suggested that the time children spend in front of the screen is associated with behavioral and attention problems in children. Depending on how much time the children spent in front of the screen, the corresponding behavioral patterns were found.
The results showed that children who spent a lot of time in front of the screen between the ages of three and five had a higher risk of developing attention and behavior problems.