Have you ever wondered how watching cartoons affects a child’s mind?
In our kindergarten, we are increasingly seeing difficult behaviors in children, which may result from excessive exposure to inappropriate media content. Similar signals are also coming from other facilities. It is worth considering the consequences of uncontrolled viewing of cartoons and how to properly manage a child’s time to support their development.
The influence of fairy tales on a child’s development
Watching cartoons is not necessarily bad, provided they are age-appropriate and watched in moderation. However, excessive screen exposure can negatively impact a child’s development in several areas:
- Concentration problems – the fast pace of action and dynamically changing images can make it difficult for a child to concentrate at preschool, for example when doing worksheets or playing with peers.
- Excessive impulsivity – some fairy tales depict aggressive behaviour that children may imitate without understanding its consequences.
- Emotional disorders – excess visual and auditory stimuli can overload the nervous system, resulting in irritability, sleep problems or excessive sensitivity.
- Disturbances in the perception of reality – children may have difficulty distinguishing between fiction and reality, which may lead to unrealistic expectations, fears or inappropriate reactions to everyday situations.
- Reduced creativity – watching cartoons does not require the child to think actively or invent their own games, which may reduce the ability to think creatively.
- Delays in language development – children who spend a lot of time in front of a screen have fewer opportunities to talk, which can affect their communication skills and vocabulary development.
Which fairy tales are worth choosing?
It’s not about a complete ban on watching cartoons, but about consciously choosing the content. Here are some rules that can help parents make the right decisions:
- Choose cartoons that are age-appropriate, preferably with a calm pace and positive values.
- Avoid content that is full of violence, aggression or excessive emotional expression.
- Watch cartoons with your child and talk about their content to help them understand them better.
- Limit screen time – according to the World Health Organization, children aged 2–5 should not watch cartoons for more than 60 minutes a day.
How to manage your child’s time differently?
Instead of spending a lot of time sitting in front of a screen, it is worth offering your child activities that support their cognitive, social and physical development:
- Sensory play – finger painting, modelling with modelling clay, playing with kinetic sand develop the senses and fine motor skills.
- Reading books – looking through illustrations together and telling stories support language development and imagination.
- Physical play – jumping rope, dancing or outdoor games help use up excess energy.
- Board games and puzzles – develop logical thinking and social skills.
- Cooking together – even simple activities, such as mixing ingredients or making sandwiches, can be exciting and developing for a child.
Watching cartoons can be a pleasant part of the day, but it is crucial that it is done in a conscious and controlled way. In our kindergarten, we notice that some cartoons influence difficult behaviors in children, so we encourage parents to carefully select content and support children in discovering the world through active play and various experiences. Together we can take care of the healthy development of the youngest!