Healthy Screen Time for children
What is your take on the appropriate amount of screen time for your child ? As use of mobile phones, tablets and laptops form an increasingly significant portion of both entertainment and education time for children these days ?
It is undeniable that excessive screen time brings about detrimental effects to the development of children, and many experts have advised on screen time durations for children of different ages. However, screen time and various forms of media can still definitely provide positive influences on children, especially when the content delivered helps to pique the interest and develop cognitive thinking of these growing young individuals.
Hence, when it comes to screen time, beyond duration, the quality of screen time is of even greater importance !
While spending time on cartoons and games provide entertainment and fun for children, spending the same amount of time on an educational programme can bring about much more benefits for the child. Furthermore, with the plethora of online content available now, it is even more crucial to ensure that children are not spending their time on content that potentially encourages addiction, violence, and other negative behaviours.
At a young age, children pick up soft and hard skills at an immense speed. Beyond knowledge and exposure they gain in schools, children also cultivate creativity, problem-solving skills, and communication skills in their day-to-day lives. Through engaging visuals and attractive elements, quality screen time can effectively inspire and educate children in many different aspects. Positive messages, stories, as well as activities that involve children either emotionally or physically, can all nurture the development of skill-sets necessary for life.
There is a wide variety of content available and accessible as quality screen time for children – educational animation clips, online activities such as crossword puzzles, games, canvases for drawing and designing etc. – the list goes on.
While some activities can be completed by the child independently, some may require parental guidance and accompaniment. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), children enjoy screen time more and learn more from this time when there is an accompaniment of an adult who responds alongside them and helps to guide them through. Engaging in screen time together with your child also ensures that bonding time with your child is not replaced by screen time. Allowing your child excessive screen time alone may cause him/her to have a reduced interest in real-person interactions, as his/her development of social skills stagnate. Hence, it is important for parents to involve themselves in quality screen time together with their children, as a form of spending time together and learning alongside each other.
The Glasshouse by Chamber Music and Arts Singapore is one form of quality screen time parents and children can enjoy together. Specially created by our internationally-acclaimed musicians, our brilliant illustrators, and our leading art therapist, The Glasshouse is a virtual sphere where interactive chamber music and chamber arts is offered through 4 extensive programmes, as part of #origins and #blossoms:
#origins a fountain of stories for little buds & #origins nurturing confident new sprouts
#blossoms colourful blooms in spring & #blossoms from an acorn to a thousand-year oak
Specifically for #origins, stories of great creative masters come alive by way of colourful illustrations, light animations and gripping listening opportunities ~ on top of activities for reviewing knowledge and canvases for self-expression. These form unique monthly collections, through which families can look forward to an environment of fun and learning and a precious time of bonding with one another.
Both #origins and #blossoms colourful blooms in spring make use of Buncee ~ an interactive child-friendly creative software, through which the children & youths interact with our Storyboards, Activities and Canvases. Their expressive work can also be pinned as Buncees onto Buncee Boards in The Glasshouse for cheer from fellow members of The Glasshouse.
The Glasshouse offers quality screen time for children to begin their exploration, or continue interacting meaningfully, with chamber music and chamber arts, along with their parents, teachers and/or school leaders.
If you are interested in our sphere, and would like to find out more, join our Artistic Director on The Glasshouse Walk-Through ~! Lasting 40 minutes, The Glasshouse Walk-Through is complimentary. Ask ALL the questions you would like to have answered ! Visit various corners of The Glasshouse, and find out directly from our Artistic Director how #origins and #blossoms are suitable for your child !
To join The Glasshouse via BYKidO visit HERE !
You may also reach us at theglasshouse@chambermusicarts.com.sg for more enquiries and details such as special group booking rates ~!
You and your child should not miss out on this excellent form of quality screen time, and we look forward to seeing you in The Glasshouse !