Do Educational Computer Games Fall Under "Screen Time" Limits?

I limit "screen time" not because of what she's doing, but because she's not being active. It doesn't matter if it's a video game or an educational game. Sitting in front of a screen is not good for the eyes, nor does it exercise the imagination.

My daughter always seems happier when she's been outside playing, inside playing with toys or hanging with friends. She tends to be tense, angry and less imaginative when she's been on the computer too long or watching too much TV.

Yes - it is screen time. Screen time basically means sitting on the butt and not being physically active. With the obesity epidemic, especially among children, in this country people should be paying more attention to kids being physically active instead of camping out in front of the tv, computer, DS, PS2, or cell phone regardless of the activity.

Staring at a computer screen for prolonged periods of time can harm your vision I think. Regardless if it's educational or not, you should limit it if nothing else to give her eyes a rest. It's just like if your child is sitting down for too long. You should get them up to stretch their legs.

I'm no expert. This is just my opinion =-)

My kids learn a lot just by being outside. At 6 yrs old, math can also be played with sidewalk chalk and be fun at the same time.

Screen time is screen time. It's great that she's playing a math game, and if it were me, I'd lump that in to screen time.

Do consider it her screen time, because although she's academically engaged, think about what else she could be doing. This is how I balance the idea of screen time in our house -- by what it takes my son away from. He doesn't play games on the computer, but gets around 1.5 hours of educational videos per week.

Screen time means that my son is *not* physically exercising/moving his body, which is vital to his health. He is missing out on actually sitting down and playing on his own, with his own imagination to lead him. These things actually improve his own problem-solving and personal skills like persistence on a deeper level. Child psychologist Bruno Bettelheim speaks to the importance of this sort of play throughout the book "A Good Enough Parent" and Community Playthings has a great resource handout entitled "The Wisdom of Play". Hands-down, open-ended child-led play is one of the best outlets and learning processes a young child can have. And during screen time, he is not interacting and playing with other children, which is also essential to a child's better development.

I personally think it's different than a workbook or reading because these have the potential to be more child-led, and children have the option of stopping, pondering for longer, taking a break in the page to think their own thoughts, etc. Screens tend to be more demanding and to lead the activity. Just my opinion. Also, the other (workbooks, reading) allow her to break for social activity. Games tend to draw the user solely into *that* world, and to pull us away from interacting with those around us. Workbooks and some reading (not all) allow for breaks for necessary social contact.

So let her enjoy that time with her game, and then send her outside on those nice days, and encourage that too. There are plenty of ways to explore math through play, too. :) Balance is everything!

Sorry, it's all screen time.

I think I would count it as screen time, but I wouldn't "charge" the full rate. So, if she gets 30 minutes a day of screen time, and she wants to play her math game, I would only charge 50% of the actual time..... so 30 minutes of math would only count 15 minutes, not 30 minutes. BUT, I would also not let her go directly into the "rest of" of her screen time without taking a break to go do something else.

My eye doctor has always cautioned me against too much time in front of the screen in one sitting. Your eyes focus only on one depth when using a computer screen, unlike a book or something physical that you alter the depth of what you are viewing while turning the page or looking up to look out the window while you're thinking or whatever. With a screen, we tend to JUST look exactly 28 inches (or however far it is) directly in front of us and never look away. That's bad for the eyes. And often the posture as well.

I would still consider it screen time and place limits on it just like anything else. It might be educational but there are also other ways for her to learn and practice reading and math skills (and not just with work books either).

Updated

I would still consider it screen time and place limits on it just like anything else. It might be educational but there are also other ways for her to learn and practice reading and math skills (and not just with work books either).

I am no expert but while completely my psych degree I did extensive research on the subject of kids and tv.

I am going to assume that you concern is that many professionals feel that to much screen time is bad for kids. And ok sure studies do indicate that to be true.

However these studies do not take into account the difference between educational screen time and non educational screen time. So there is certainly a gap in the research.

They say no tv under the age of two, but plopping your baby down in front of the tv for hours is a LOT different than watching an interactive dvd where the two of you are spending time together and learning. Screen time then becomes a learning tool. Now I'm not saying that all learning should come from an electronic source, but with the number of computers in schools growing and the growing popularity of children's materials on e-readers and smart phones, the way that we communicate and the way children learn is changing.

I highly agree with the post that says they have two different sets of rules for screen time based on if it's educational or just for fun, simply because I feel that there is to much technology involved in how we teach our children.

We have 2 sets of standards; school time & silly time.

I think you should do what you want. Dr.s have said that too much TV or computer does not harm the eyes like once thought. I personally think it's great that she is learning AND enjoying it and do not understand why some think a workbook would be better than learning on a computer. If you are learning, then you are learning...it doesn't matter how!

If she's interested in math, even if it's a math "game", I'd let her utilize it until the disk wore out. I hated math as a kid and avoided it as much as I could. Wish I could have found something that made that chore fun...

Screen time is just that....screen time.

Why not give her a math workbook? My dd has had workbooks for different things since she was 3. She loves them. She thinks they are fun, not work.

Maybe make her 'game' time 1/2 time for her screen time... so if she plays the math game for 30 minutes, it only counts as 15 minutes toward her overall time...

The reality of it is this is 2011 and "screens" are used for much more than entertainment. Among other things they are sources of reading and learning-neither of which is bad. Screens are so much a part of our lives and getting more important all the time. I would more worry about the quality of what she is doing on the screen than her actual screen time. If she were building a puzzle would you feel any better? Or playing a board game? The only thing screens of all types hurt-and old fashioned books and games too-is exercise. We need to make a concious effort to get the kids of 2011 outside to play and exercise.

"Is it different than if she was sitting in front of a math workbook? (we don't give her those btw. She's only in 1st grade)"

I think a math workbook is a better choice than online math game.

The online game is definitely screen time. I hope she's balancing it with physical activity. Kids are getting so good at being online they don't want to spend as much time playing and being active.

In my opinion, online learning should be limited as much as regular TV. Do your X minutes and then get outside!

"Learning" takes all forms.
Especially nowadays.
Thus, your daughter's screen time, is learning.
To me.

Schools, DO incorporate, Technology and the computer, in class.
My daughter now in 3rd Grade, has assignments that are online.
Via a school program.

Learning comprises of technology, books, paper, outdoors experimenting in nature, doing chores and cooking, workbooks, direct experience.
Even cooking, you can incorporate Math.
ANYTHING, is learning.

The 'screen' is not a bad thing necessarily. Nor the computer.
Unless- that is all the stimuli they get and only that.
And the child is not just being stuck in front of it, as a 'babysitter.'
There is, that difference.

Try these sites for her: (This is per my Daughter's 1st Grade Teacher. All free):
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/typing/ (they need to learn typing)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/laac/numbers/chi.shtml
http://nlvm.usu.edu/en/nav/frames_asid_169_g_1_t_2.html?o...
http://www.abc.net.au/countusin/games/game7.htm
http://www.roythezebra.com/reading-games/capital-letter-1...
http://www.starfall.com/n/level-a/learn-to-read/play.htm?f

But sure, ANYTHING done for hours or for long periods... is not good.
Variety, is good.
And, learning learning, from all, sources.