For better or worse, screen time is becoming a bigger and bigger part of children’s lives. Because of this, child care centers, preschools, and family child care programs must address the ubiquity of screen-based technology and determine how they’ll integrate it into their setting via a thoughtful screen time policy that supports the holistic development of young minds.

Purpose

A well-crafted screen time policy is a roadmap for caregivers, outlining the boundaries and expectations surrounding screen-based technology use in early childhood settings. This policy should:

• Promote Healthy Development—Make developmentally appropriate use of screen time in a program focused on fostering the physical, social, and cognitive development of young children.
• Set Clear Expectations—Establish guidelines that help parents, educators, and children understand the role of screens in the early learning environment.
• Facilitate Conscientious Technology Use—Encourage calculated use of technology to support learning while minimizing negative impacts on children’s well-being.

Where To Include

At Playvolution HQ, we recommend using the Three Handbook Method and adding this policy to your Operating Handbook.

Considerations

Here are 8 things to consider when developing policies and procedures related to this topic:

• Age-Appropriate Guidelines—Tailor screen time recommendations based on the developmental stage of the children.
• Content Selection—Choose developmentally appropriate content that aligns with the curriculum and enhances learning experiences.
• Parent Education—Inform parents about the benefits and shortcomings of screen-based technology to create a unified approach to screen time.
• Professional Development—Provide ongoing training for educators on screen time best practices.
• Monitor Screen Time: Implement systems to monitor and track children’s screen time to ensure it aligns with the program’s policy.
• Communication Strategies—Keep parents informed about their child’s screen time activities, enabling transparency and collaboration.
• Assessment And Adaptation—Regularly assess the effectiveness of the screen time policy and make adaptations based on emerging research and best practices.
• Modeling Behavior—Caregivers should exemplify positive screen time behavior, serving as role models for children and demonstrating responsible technology use.

Real-World Sample Policies

NOTE: The following samples are real-world examples relating to this post’s topic and are provided as a reference for creating your own policies and procedures. Sharing them here is not a recommendation of their content.

Sample 1

Sample 2

Sample 3

Sample 4

Sample Screen Time Policy

This sample policy for the fictitious Playvolution Child Care Institute incorporates the above considerations and makes use of our recommended 5 policy headings. It is only intended as a guideline. Your policy and procedures relating to this topic should be unique to your program.

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