Studies suggest that most parents are worried about the impact of technology on children, mainly due to increasing screen time. While there are downsides to living in a world dominated by technology, there are some amazing benefits of encouraging kids to embrace tech. In this guide, we’ll highlight some positive ways to use technology to benefit your children.
Education and learning
One of the best things about growing up in today’s tech-driven world is being able to access incredible educational resources. From interactive quizzes and fun games to TV documentaries, engaging exercises and online worksheets, children and parents have a virtual world of learning opportunities at their fingertips. Parents can support and aid education at home via online platforms, software, apps and tools, while kids can enjoy learning using different media and teaching techniques.
Entertainment and relaxation
One of the most common reasons why people use technology is to relax, unwind and have fun. If you have a smartphone, TV, tablet, laptop, or devices such as VR headsets and video game consoles, you can access entertainment in an instant.
In addition to reducing stress levels and distracting kids from stressors, tech-based entertainment can also encourage young people to connect with others and enjoy quality time with parents and other relatives. Children and adults can play games together like chess and solitaire, challenge friends to online battles, games and contests, or snuggle up on the couch for a home movie night. Setting boundaries and establishing guidelines can help you enjoy the best of both worlds. You might decide to limit screen time or alternate activities like playing online games and watching TV shows with playing sports, doing creative hobbies and exploring the great outdoors, for example.
Practicing healthy living
As a parent, one of your main priorities is probably to raise healthy kids. It’s not always easy to encourage children to eat lots of vegetables or do exercise every day. If you’re struggling to get your kids on board with healthy lifestyle choices, technology can help. Wearable activity trackers are a brilliant example. Data shows that using wearables increases average daily step count and exercise frequency. Older children can monitor their activity levels by counting steps and seeing how many active minutes they complete each week. If they have a target, they’ll be more likely to put in the effort to reach that goal, especially if there’s a prize or reward.
Setting family activity goals and devoting time to active hobbies are great ways to do more exercise together. Examples range from hiking, climbing and swimming to canoeing, surfing, dancing and playing sports, such as tennis, soccer, golf, badminton, and baseball.
The subject of technology can trigger different thoughts and emotions in parents. It’s common to have concerns about screen time and online safety, but there are many advantages to kids being tech-savvy. Key benefits of embracing modern technology include accessing educational resources and using tech to learn, enjoying amazing entertainment, and practicing healthy living. Parents can reap the rewards while reducing risks by setting boundaries, establishing rules, and ensuring kids have other hobbies that don’t involve screens and devices.
