Screens and Child Development

Babies don’t need screens. They want eye contact, movement, stories, and play with you. YOU are enough.

Why the Early Years Matter

Children under 3 are in a critical period of brain development. To grow in a healthy and connected way, they need:

  • Meaningful, back-and-forth interaction with parents and caregivers
  • Inclusion in everyday family routines
  • Time and space to explore and play using all their senses

These real-world experiences shape everything from language skills to emotional regulation and brain wiring.

What the Research Is Telling Us

Global health guidelines now advise that babies under 2 should avoid screen time, except for supervised video calls with loved ones.

Research is increasingly clear:

Early screen exposure can interfere with healthy brain development, language learning, attention, and social skills.

Screens distract babies from people, and distract caregivers from engaging fully with babies. The impact can be long-lasting and significant.

Real Stories from the Field

In conversations with early years educators, I often hear:

“Some children can only speak in cartoon phrases.”
“We’re seeing more kids struggle with simple school routines.”

These aren’t isolated incidents. Educators are reporting a noticeable rise in developmental challenges linked to screen use—especially in children entering school.

We’ve seen the long-term effects of digital overexposure in teens through the eye-opening Netflix crime drama series Adolescence.

Adolescence dives into the impact of screen addiction on teenagers, highlighting issues like anxiety, social withdrawal, and attention struggles.
Watch Adolescence on Netflix (search directly on Netflix to find the title)

But the latest research shows these challenges don’t begin in the teen years—they often start much earlier, in infancy and toddlerhood, when the brain is most vulnerable.

Risks of Excessive Screen Time in Early Childhood

Excessive screen use in children under 5 is linked to:

  • Delayed speech and social development
  • Changes in brain structure and function
  • Shortened attention span
  • Disrupted sleep cycles
  • Reduced physical activity
  • Sensory regulation issues and autistic-like symptoms

How I can Help

For Parents and Professionals

I offer training and workshops including:

➡ Born in a Digital Age: Screentime and the Under 5s

This interactive session has received excellent feedback from parents and educators.

For Families

I work closely with families, offering:

➡ Personalized one-on-one coaching for children showing developmental delays associated with early screen overuse.

My goal is to empower parents with tools, strategies, and support.

Learn More

I’m a proud member of MyBabyGains.org – a trusted resource for:

  • Up-to-date research
  • Awareness alerts
  • Practical support for parents and educators

Let’s Connect

Want to learn more or book a session?

"I wish I could bottle Sarah's knowledge and enthusiasm."

“Sarah, what is different about your boxes is you. You are beyond a professional, more into EYFS guru status and honestly, you are locally known as so. You have SO much to offer both children and families. What you have to offer is based on decades of research, experience and is in line with the early years educational goals and curriculum. Basically, your boxes are teaching your families how to interact with their children, how to ask questions, how to listen, how to let the child lead. It's not a box of things to devour and be finished with. Each piece can lead to probably hours of play and discovery if the adults can successfully steer the children without taking charge.”

“Sarah is so passionate and knowledgeable about the Early Years – I wish I had her next to me when I was teaching to feed me all those amazing ideas.”

“Inspiring training with a wonderful tool to empower children to love to read and learn, the emotional approach has made a deep impact on my general view of teaching in the Early Years.”

“I want to thank you for your INSET-on Tuesday, the Early Years Team and KS1 teachers were truly inspired and have already there is ‘physi/gym’ going on first thing in the morning. We look forward to implementing many strategies you have given us to motivate reluctant writers. We have all gained enormously from your experience and expertise on the subject, thank you.”

“Sarah was very dynamic and enthusiastic and clearly cares about the subject. She communicates ideas really clearly.”