Minds on Media: The Associations between Screen Engagement and Children’s Developing Brains

What difficulties do our children face in terms of their attention spans, creativity,  memory and ability to think deeply as they consume more and more media? How are their brains being rewired? What are our kids learning from online activities rather than from parents, teachers, or friends, and vice-versa? What is the best age to give media to younger children? How can we use screens responsibly in order to have a positive impact on their cognitive abilities both at home and in the classroom?

Attention, information processing, emotion regulation, critical thinking, memory, language, literacy, and more — all of these cognitive processes are impacted by the way children’s brains develop. Scientists are just beginning to understand the complex ways that digital media affect brain structure and function in young people. Factors that must be considered include the unique vulnerabilities and characteristics of growing children, different patterns of use (eg. multitasking, receptive vs. interactive use), diverse platforms, varied content and programming (eg. educational programs vs entertainment), as well as kids’ exposure at different ages in differing amounts and contexts.  At “Minds on Media: The Associations between Screen Engagement and Children’s Developing Brains,” on Wednesday, November 3rd, 2021, some of the nation’s leading neuroscientists, researchers and clinicians explored the latest scientific research and best parenting strategies for moderating your children’s screen time to promote healthy brain development.