Children Under Two and Media:
What Does The Research Say?

Researchers found that children from environments with high TV read less and watch more TV than other children.

Furthermore, they reported little evidence that children under two learn much, even from educational television, and that background TV may be associated with poorer cognitive outcomes. Recent studies on babies supported the American Academy of Pediatrics recommendation of no electronic screens for children two and under.

The National Institute on Media and the Family supports this recommendation. For more information and strategies to help you guide your children's media use, visit MediaWise at www.mediafamily.org

This important recommendation was released from a consortium of researchers at the five-site Children's Digital Media Center funded by the National Science Foundation. The consortium's findings from 14 research studies on children and media appeared in The American Behavioral Scientist and the Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology.

To learn more about the Children's Digital Media Center, visit the National Science Foundation at www.nsf.gov

The American Behavioral Scientist {2005, January), Vol 48, No 5.

Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology (2004, November-December), Issue 6 .