What Children Really Need.

Experts in education, childcare, and early childhood development provide answers and present ten reasons why it’s better to be offline with our young children.  

Go offline, because…

… the sound of children's voices can be heard again at the family table.

Children learn to eat by engaging all their senses—and they learn best through interaction with their parents and caregivers. Not having the TV on during meals improves the quality of their diet and reduces the risk of becoming overweight.

Abou-Dakn et al., 2023

… the view from the stroller opens up the real world.

Walks with their parents are true journeys of discovery for children. Together, they explore the world around them, take in new experiences, and learn with all their senses.

Abou-Dakn et al., 2023

… in the children's room, a child's imagination and creativity take precedence.

The more freely and deeply children play, the more they learn in the process. Prolonged screen time, on the other hand, can limit their imagination—a skill that is crucial for creativity, language, problem-solving, and cognitive development.

Suggate & Martzog, 2020;
Wustmann Seiler et al., 2021

… digital media disrupt healthy sleep.

Extended screen time can lead to shorter sleep, frequent awakenings, and delayed sleep onset in young children—and sleep quality suffers as a result. Restful sleep and quiet time, however, are essential for growth, brain development, memory, learning, and stable emotional regulation.

Abou-Dakn et al., 2023;
Sticca et al., 2025

… young children must be protected from dangerous sites on the internet.

When children use digital media without parental supervision, the risks increase. They may be exposed to problematic content at an early age, such as advertising or violence, dangerous interactions with strangers, or the accidental downloading of malware.

Edwards, 2021; Santamaria et al., 2022

… digital media are addictive and harmful to brain development.

Excessive screen time during the first three years of life can impair cognitive development, particularly the brain’s executive functions such as working memory, impulse control, and cognitive flexibility.

Sticca et al., 2025; Habermann et al., 2023

… young children need to interact with real people.

The use of digital media replaces important opportunities for interaction and play. Especially when children consume media on their own, they miss out on social contact and shared experiences with parents, caregivers, or other children. Screen time cannot replace play.

Schmid et al., 2025

… digital media are neither a true reward nor a real source of comfort.

Frequent media use during the preschool years often leads to irritability, frustration, and restlessness. The situation becomes particularly problematic when parents regularly use screens to calm or distract their children. Children need real-life interactions to develop self-regulation and emotional maturity.

Sticca et al., 2022

… digital media make people physically inactive and lethargic.

Children who use screen-based media more frequently between the ages of 2 and 3 show significantly less enthusiasm for physical activity at age 5.5 than children who use digital media less frequently at that age.

Bleckmann et al., 2022, Schmid et al. 2025