Kids Pass Up Creative Play, Homework, and Family Time in Favor of TV

It's the end of a long day at work, you have to get dinner on the table, and you're tempted to reach for the remote to occupy the kids for the evening so you can relax. But according to researchers at the University of Texas at Austin and Harvard Medical School in Boston, watching TV can easily displace other more enriching activities in your child's life.

In 1997, researchers surveyed the parents of 1,712 children under age 12 about the amount of time their children spent performing various activities. Over a 24-hour period on one weekday and one weekend day, parents recorded how many minutes their children spent:

• watching TV
• spending time with a parent or sibling
• reading or being read to
• doing homework
• playing creatively with games, toys, costumes, or pretending
• being active physically, such as playing sports outdoors or playing at the playground

Overall, TV time had a significant impact on the amount of time a child spent interacting with other family members. The more time a child spent watching TV without parents present in the room, the less time a child spent doing other activities with his or her parents. In addition, the more time that children spent watching TV without a sibling, the less time they spent with siblings in general.

TV time also affected the amount of time a child spent in creative play. Toddlers and preschoolers who watched an hour of TV on a weekday had a 9% reduction in the amount of time they spent pretending, playing with toys, or doing art activities. Also, children who watched TV on weekdays spent less time dong homework. For example, 6- to 8-year-olds who watched an hour of TV on a weeknight spent about 14% less time doing homework. Nine- to 12-year-olds who watched an hour of TV during the week tended to spend about 18% less time doing homework.

Although time spent watching TV tended to affect the amount of time a child spent with family, playing creatively, or doing homework, it did not affect the amount of time a child spent reading or being physically active.

What This Means to You. According to this study, children who watch TV regularly may be giving up time spent with family members, playing creatively, or doing homework. Your family doesn't necessarily need to eliminate TV altogether, but the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that children older than 2 watch no more than an hour or 2 daily and that kids under 2 shouldn't watch at all. Instead of watching TV tonight, try these easy-to-implement family activities instead:

• Sit down to dinner. Instead of munching in front of the tube, turn off the TV and actually talk to each other about what happened during the day.
• Break out the board games. It takes a little time to set up and store the games after use, but they often offer reading, counting, and other learning opportunities for young kids.
• Get moving. Go for a family walk, visit the local playground, or take your bikes for a spin around the neighborhood.

Source: Elizabeth A. Vandewater, PhD; David S. Bickham, PhD; June H. Lee, PhD; Pediatrics, February 2006.

Reviewed by: Steven Dowshen, MD
Date reviewed: March 2006

Note: All information is for educational purposes only. For specific medical advice, diagnoses, and treatment, consult your doctor.

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