A great majority of parents try to give their kids limited screen time while maximizing reading, exercise, and socialization. I do the same – however, there are studies indicating that some screen time is very helpful.
A recent article in the New York Times highlighted an Italian study in Current Biology, indicating potential benefits of video games in developing the reading abilities of children with dyslexia. There was a noted increase in attention to task, which correlated to improved reading skills.
PRWeb.com explains how children with “print disabilities” have outscored their peers in math tests through the use of audio books! For most kids these days, that means putting the ear buds into the Kindle Fire and following along electronically while listening.
According to ScienceDaily.com, “Using brain scans of children and adults watching Sesame Street, cognitive scientists are learning how children’s brains change as they develop intellectual abilities like reading and math.” The goal is to help determine the cause when someone is having difficulty mastering a task. “It’s not the case that if you put a child in front of an educational TV program that nothing is happening-that the brain just sort of zones out. Instead, what we see is that the patterns of neural activity that children are showing are meaningful and related to their intellectual abilities.”