Nearly 90 per cent of parents worried about children's screen time

Ottoline Spearman

Nearly nine in ten parents are concerned about the amount of time their children spend on digital devices, new research shows.

In particular, parents are worried about the effect of screen time on children's health and wellbeing, especially screen time spent outside school hours and during school holidays.

Research commissioned by childcare provider Sherpa Kids Ireland found that 30 per cent of primary school children spend two hours or more a day on digital devices during the week.

This figure rises sharply during school holidays, with 66 per cent spending two or more hours per day on devices.

The vast majority (91 per cent) of parents surveyed said that out-of-school programmes help to reduce their child's screen time.

“Structured out-of-school programmes are an important solution to balancing children’s screen use with physical activity, social interaction and creative play,” said Jennifer Lee, CEO of Sherpa Kids Ireland.

“Peer-to-peer social settings play a vital role in children’s social and emotional development."

School aged-childcare, often known as breakfast clubs and homework or afterschool clubs, are an increasingly important service for families in Ireland, creating spaces where children can learn and grow through inclusive physical, wellbeing, creative, and play-based activities.