A research report claims to show for the first time, a strong link between recreational screen time and children’s inactivity. The report released by the Association of Play Industries – A Movement for Movement – reveals that children have never moved so little and points to substantial evidence that screens are a key reason.
There appears to be a ‘rapid and dramatic’ change from outdoor to indoor time, with a 50% increase in children’s discretionary screen time in less than a decade. By the age of eight, the average child will have spent one full year sitting in front of a screen.
The API has launched a campaign focussing on two main asks, calling upon the government to: issue an official recommendation of two hours discretionary screen time per day for children; and to invest in outdoor play provision, especially in deprived areas, to reverse the decline in playgrounds.