When is the best time to introduce computers to children?
Our daughter will be turning three this summer and we are wondering at what age we should introduce her to the computer. I am concerned about starting her too soon, and I worry about her being exposed to video games and about the quantity of “screen time” at an age when I feel she should be spending more time reading books and playing outdoors. However, my husband is concerned that we not wait too long and wants to give her the educational advantage computer skills provide. What does the research suggest?
Luckily there is research on this topic and it comes down strongly on the side of waiting. Research shows that young children need free play to develop the skills they will need in the classroom. Exploration and imaginative play, reading, doing puzzles, coloring, helping in the kitchen, workshop and garden are all valuable. What looks like random play is actually the child figuring out the way things work and developing the confidence and problem solving skills she will need later in the academic setting. Children who had plenty of time for free play performed slightly better in recent studies than their peers who spent the time in formal “early academic readiness” programs.
As to when to introduce the computer, most educational experts recommend introducing it around the first or second grade to coincide with the emphasis on reading and writing skills. They also recommend against “educational” video games as none have been shown, in controlled studies, to be of educational value.
