Is technology having a bad impact on the physical development of children?
Is technology having a negative impact on the physical development of children?
The aim of this study is to ascertain if the growth and constant use of digital technology by young children is having a negative impact on their physical development. This investigation will be focusing on how these electronics physically affect children and how it influences their physical lifestyle. It will also be focusing on how the younger generation of children might be substituting real-life healthy play for games and other technological pastimes.
As technology greatly grows and advances with the years, this generation and the next to come will certainly be more technologically connected. According to the National Purchase Diary Group, a market research company, 91% of Americans aged 2-17 play video games, and it’s also stated that gaming amongst children aged 2-5 has increased the most. According to Jules Henty-Smith, a primary school teacher and a parent who I personally interviewed, states that iPads and computers are very popular in the classroom, and the device popularities can also be seen on the graph to the left.
Source: American Academy of Pedriatics
One of their main negative impacts that parents worry about is if their children are substituting healthy physical play for video games, and if that’s consequently causing obesity due to the lack of exercise.
Erica Loop, who has a master’s degree in applied Developmental Psychology and is also a parent, states that “playing video games can play a part in your child developing a weight problem”. In her article “Do Video Games Contribute to Childhood Obesity” (2013) she explains that video games might not be the sole culprit to childhood obesity, but children who do play them have a greater risk of becoming overweight than those who don’t. However, an article by the Children’s Health Team that consists of several experts specialised on health and physical wellbeing, “Managing Video Game and TV Time for Children”(2012)
The aim of this study is to ascertain if the growth and constant use of digital technology by young children is having a negative impact on their physical development. This investigation will be focusing on how these electronics physically affect children and how it influences their physical lifestyle. It will also be focusing on how the younger generation of children might be substituting real-life healthy play for games and other technological pastimes.
As technology greatly grows and advances with the years, this generation and the next to come will certainly be more technologically connected. According to the National Purchase Diary Group, a market research company, 91% of Americans aged 2-17 play video games, and it’s also stated that gaming amongst children aged 2-5 has increased the most. According to Jules Henty-Smith, a primary school teacher and a parent who I personally interviewed, states that iPads and computers are very popular in the classroom, and the device popularities can also be seen on the graph to the left.
Source: American Academy of Pedriatics
One of their main negative impacts that parents worry about is if their children are substituting healthy physical play for video games, and if that’s consequently causing obesity due to the lack of exercise.
Erica Loop, who has a master’s degree in applied Developmental Psychology and is also a parent, states that “playing video games can play a part in your child developing a weight problem”. In her article “Do Video Games Contribute to Childhood Obesity” (2013) she explains that video games might not be the sole culprit to childhood obesity, but children who do play them have a greater risk of becoming overweight than those who don’t. However, an article by the Children’s Health Team that consists of several experts specialised on health and physical wellbeing, “Managing Video Game and TV Time for Children”(2012)