Statistics released by Ofcom show that over 50% of children aged 3-4 go online for nearly 8 hours a week, and 1 in 5 children aged 3-4 have their own tablet.
This may be surprising, but research has shown that families are spending more on technology for a number of reasons:
- To further their children’s education,
- to maintain connections with family and friends,
- and to facilitate and enjoy daily life.
How young is too young to start talking to my child about online safety?
It’s never too early to start taking action to keep your child safe online.
As soon as your child starts talking about or exploring the online world, you should start conversations with them about their online activity and put support in place.
Research has found that children form ‘digital habits’ during early development (such as using devices after bedtime). Therefore it is important for parents to support children to develop positive – and lasting – digital habits from an early age.
What are the benefits of my under 5 using technology?
There are many benefits of children engaging with technology from an early age. The internet provides children with opportunities to learn, connect with family, develop creativity, as well as have fun. Apps, games and websites designed for under 5s help children to improve their literacy and numeracy skills, and supports them to develop their fine-motor skills (such as their ability to move fingers independently by pointing and pushing buttons, and improving hand-eye coordination).
A number of families use video chat and messaging services as a way to connect with family and friends, which allows young children to maintain relationships with relatives.
There are lots of child friendly sites you can explore with your child, such as Cbeebies, where children can watch videos, play games, learn and be entertained.