Toddler Screen Time: How It Affects Word Development, According to Research

The videos toddlers watch may be shaping their vocabularies in unexpected ways, according to new research from Southern Methodist University (SMU). A recent study found that while screen time doesn’t necessarily reduce the number of words toddlers learn, it can influence which words they acquire, with a notable difference observed in vocabulary categories.

Researchers discovered that toddlers with higher levels of screen exposure learned proportionally fewer words related to body parts – like “arm,” “nose,” and “ear” – but demonstrated a greater understanding of words pertaining to people and furniture. The study, published in Developmental Science, controlled for factors such as a child’s age, caregiver income and overall vocabulary size.

Average of Nearly Two Hours of Screen Time Per Day

Digital media is now a pervasive element of family life. Estimates suggest that many children under two years old spend approximately two hours each day engaging with screens, primarily through videos and television. Prior research has linked high exposure to “low-quality” programming with smaller vocabularies. However, language development is a complex process, extending beyond simply the total number of words a child knows.

Influence on Language Development

“There’s no question that use of digital media by young children has increased in recent years, and more and more evidence suggests that it’s impacting their language development, particularly in the early years,” explains Sarah C. Kucker, a psychologist at SMU. She emphasizes that not all media has the same effect. “We know that children who watch a lot of television or low-quality videos generally have smaller vocabularies and less advanced language skills.” However, she also points out that educational and socially interactive media can have positive effects.

How the Research Was Conducted

The research involved surveying parents of children between 17 and 30 months old – a critical period when toddlers often experience a “vocabulary spurt.” Parents reported the number of minutes their child used screens daily, both on weekdays and weekends. On average, the children watched around 110 minutes of videos per day.

Parents also completed a comprehensive word list, indicating which words their child could already say. This allowed researchers to measure not only total vocabulary size but also to examine different categories, such as animals, food, clothing, body parts, furniture, and people.

These Words Stood Out

The findings revealed that toddlers who watched more videos used relatively fewer words for body parts, such as “nose” or “ears.” Conversely, they demonstrated a relatively greater understanding of words for people, including names and terms like “grandma” or “baby.” Words related to furniture and rooms, such as “couch,” “TV,” or “kitchen,” were also more common among children with significant screen time.

“While we expected children with more media use to have fewer words for body parts in their vocabulary, we were surprised that children with more media use relatively knew more words for people and furniture,” Kucker stated.

Not All-Encompassing

Notably, the researchers found no correlation between screen time and other word categories, such as animals, toys, or food. It also didn’t matter whether the words referred to concrete shapes, like “ball,” or materials, like “applesauce.”

The influence of screen time appears to be specific and not all-encompassing. Kucker advocates for nuance. “Most parents have heard the advice to avoid screen time with young children. But in today’s technology-based world, it’s very difficult to do that 100 percent of the time.”

Realistic Advice

Her advice is realistic: “Try to limit screen time, but don’t panic if you can’t avoid it completely.”

According to the researchers, the key lies in the content and context. Educational programs or watching together with a parent may mitigate negative effects, especially when children also have ample opportunities for active play and social interaction. A scoping review published in S Afr J Commun Disord in 2022 also noted that studies have reported both positive and negative effects of screen time on speech, language, motor, cognitive, and social development.

Recent research also suggests that the influence of screen time extends beyond the quantity of exposure, impacting the types of words children learn. This highlights the importance of considering the content and context of screen time, rather than simply focusing on limiting duration. While limiting screen time remains a reasonable precaution, a more nuanced approach that prioritizes quality content and parental engagement may be more effective in supporting healthy language development.