The colder temperatures and shorter daylight hours of the fall and winter seasons tend to drive children indoors. This leads to sedentary activities, such as watching television, texting, tweeting, or playing video games. Excessive screen time can lead to numerous adverse effects, including obesity, irregular sleep, behavioral issues, and weakened academic performance. Therefore, it is important to balance a youth’s idle time with other activities. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) screen time policy suggests that children should spend no more than two hours per day of screen time. Screen time is an all-encompassing term that includes the use of media through television, computers, smartphones and other Internet-connected devices.

The new policy, published in October 2013, cites a national report by the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation that found U.S. children, aged 8 to 18, spend an average of more than seven hours daily using entertainment media. In addition, the AAP’s policy notes that three-quarters of youth aged 12 to 17 own cellphones, which means limiting media intake can prove difficult. Parents can assist their children in forming healthy electronic habits with the help of the following suggestions:

• Avoid housing televisions, handheld games, or computers in the bedroom, as this can lead to an increase in unsupervised use and a decrease in positive sleeping habits.
• Avoid eating meals or snacks while using electronics – this can cause overeating because of a lack of focus on how much food is being consumed.
• Avoid using screen time as a reward for other activities, as this can make screen time seem more desirable, while the other activities, such as reading, crafts, chores, or physical activity, become less desirable.
• Choose video games that require physical activity and involve the entire family. Examples of interactive games include Xbox Kinect games, such as Just Dance, Kinect Sports, Fruit Ninja, Dance Central, Hip Hop Dance Experience, Motion Explosion, Biggest Loser Ultimate Workout, Kung Fu High Impact, Kinect Star Wars and Country Dance All Stars. Also, Nintendo Wii games such as Wii Sports, Wii Fit and Just Dance are a good way to combine exercise and play with the whole family.
• Encourage children to balance screen time with equal or greater amounts of reading, schoolwork, physical activity, crafts, or chores.
• Decide as a family how much time each member may spend watching television, playing video games, or using the computer each day.
• If a child is having trouble limiting their own screen-time, consider an investment in products that turn electronics off after a set time period. Alternatively, consider unplugging electronics when the allotted time is complete.