Let kids be kids, and limit their apps

That tablet computer might keep your child quiet for a while, but too much screen time can ruin kids' creativity and stunt their social skills, experts warn. Professor Carla Rinaldi - president of the global Reggio Children movement, based in Italy - said children were relying too much on technological "apps'' instead of their own ingenuity and imagination. And she urged parents and teachers to give children the "greatest gift" - time. "There is this obsession to pass from one activity to another,'' she said during a visit to Australia sponsored by the nation's biggest childcare chain, Goodstart Early Learning. "It is ruining the children.'' Professor Rinaldi said kids were suffering from performance anxiety. "It is too competitive,'' she said. "It is making them anxious about their performance, and increasing disturbances (in behaviour). Start of sidebar. Skip to end of sidebar. End of sidebar. Return to start of sidebar. "Children are collaborative, not competitive.'' Professor Rinaldi said the "Slow Food'' movement should be extended to "Slow Schools''. Too much homework and out-of-school activities robbed children of time to daydream. "Above all, it takes away time for reflection,'' she said. "Give children time. Give yourself time. Time is the greatest gift that a person can give.'' Professor Rinaldi - who served as Adelaide Thinker in Residence this year - said children should not rely too much on technology, but treat it as "a tool, like a pencil''. "There is too much screen time,'' she said. "From an ethical perspective and in terms of shaping the mind it can be very dangerous. "You consider anything is possible, because you have an app. "Then you lose your own effort, the pleasure of discovery, the pleasure of fatigue, the pleasure of mistakes. "We have to guarantee that children can use all their senses, to read, to play, to create.'' Early Childhood Australia general manager Judy Kynaston said young children should spend no more than an hour a day in front of a screen. She said digital technology could benefit children if they required movement, or interaction with other children or adults. But overuse could result in "unhealthy weight and a lack of social skills''. Kids First Children's Services director Sonja Walker, whose Sydney pediatric health clinic has treated 7000 children in the past seven years, said too much "screen time'' was shortening kids' attention spans. "Teachers are telling us that children are finding it difficult to persist at tasks because of the immediate nature of technology,'' she said. "Children don't have that experience of persisting in a task, to research, to plan, to imagine and to dream of ideas. "They want answers and they need it now. "But using pen and paper sometimes does help children to think logically about what they are doing.'' Ms Walker said some children were starting school with language and speech problems because they spent so much time playing games by themselves. "We give them (screens for) something to do while we're busy, and we're not talking to them as much,'' she said. "They're not engaging in social situations where they have to learn to liaise and negotiate with other children.'' But Ms Walker said her own clinic used smartphone "apps'' to teach children phonics, maths and behavioural skills. Goodstart Early Learning chief executive Julia Davison said she was introducing elements of the Italian Reggio Emilia teaching methods throughout the 655 centres. Rooms had been "de-cluttered'' to better show off the children's own art work. The director of Goodstart's Red Hill centre in Brisbane, Renee Mitchell, said the new approach was to "listen deeply to children and not just tell them how to do things''. "We have found that when children are involved in self-directed activities that interest them, they are more engaged, learn a lot more and display much more positive behaviour,'' she said. Educational Apps rED Writing - Teaches children ages 3 - 7 how to write the letters and numbers of the alphabet, the same way they are taught at school. Maths Bingo - Kids answer maths questions and are rewarded with a game when they answer correctly. Number Monster - teachers numbers 1-20 in 10 languages. Bright and Beyond - activities for parents to play with babies and toddlers. Pocket Phonics - helps children learn to read. Math Farm - solve a maths problem and farm animals emerge. •Recommended by Kids First Childen's Services