Reversing negative impacts from screen time (2024)

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Getting away from the screen and into the outdoors has a big impact on kids.

The Kaiser Family Foundation said kids ages 8 to 18 spend on average more than seven hours a day in front of a screen, just for entertainment purposes. The numbers are even higher when you add in educational time.

New research from Japan shows more screen time at age two can lead to poorer communication and living skills by age four. But those scientists also found ways to reduce some of those effects by just heading outdoors.

They say playing outside could reduce those harmful effects by 20%. In fact, socialization skills will actually be higher among kids who spent time outdoors than among their peers inside. And staying active helps too.

The CDC recommends kids get at least an hour of physical activity each day to reduce health risks later in life.

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