There is some evidence to suggest that reducing the amount of time children spend watching TV can have a positive impact on their creativity. I put this theory to test recently and witnessed some profound results concerning my 2 year old hyperactive tot. Let me just start by saying my daughter wasn’t watching too much TV by many American standards. At best, she was consuming about an hour or less of TV a day typically. The average child her age consumes a whopping 4-6 hours a day in the US. Someone please explain how that happens! One thing’s for sure, that was never going to happen in our house.
Not only was I determined to ensure she was being exposed to a variety of different activities everyday other than watching cartoons, I was hell bent on making sure there were some days where she wasn’t watching TV at all. Over the weekend we did not consume a single minute of cartoons or Television whatsoever, and what transpired was positively astonishing. Ché was suddenly a better listener, a child who followed instructions without us having to raise our voices, she could sit and use her imagination without the intervention of an adult. Solo play lasted for 20 or 30 minutes as opposed to 3 to 5 minutes. These changes happened rapidly over the course of a mere 3 day break from TV.
Studies have found that excessive screen time can limit a child’s opportunity for imaginative play, exploration, and creative problem-solving. When children are engaged in passive screen time, such as watching Television, they are not using their imagination or creativity. In contrast, when children are playing with toys, drawing, reading, or engaging in other activities, they are using their creativity and developing important skills. Overall, I’ve concluded how important it is, how quintessential encouraging children to engage in a variety of activities including creative play, reading, and outdoor play is to ensure they have ample opportunities for exploration and imagination.
