Social media, online games & Co: How children benefit

Carola Felchner is a freelance writer in the medical department and a certified training and nutrition advisor. She worked for various specialist magazines and online portals before becoming a freelance journalist in 2015. Before starting her internship, she studied translation and interpreting in Kempten and Munich.

More about the experts All content is checked by medical journalists.

In the Corona crisis, the internet, tablets and televisions are even more in demand among the youngsters than usual. But even in “normal everyday life”, most children learn to operate and use electronic media as a matter of course. This harbors dangers, but also many opportunities. Read here what they are, how much surfing and watching TV per day is okay and how you can identify age-appropriate media offers for children.

Advantages and disadvantages of media

Staying in contact with friends, learning and reading interactively, watching child-friendly films regardless of the airtime, or using fitness programs to keep little athletes moving and happy in bad weather (or curfew) - media consumption has found its way into our children's daily lives in many ways .

According to the KIM study (children, internet, media) from 2018, 98 percent of children in this country have (potentially) access to the internet. And according to the study, the offspring are already using it or at the latest from pre-school age. It is not for nothing that there are special offers on the Internet for kindergarten children.

The advantages of media such as websites for children, age-appropriate apps and broadcasts are many.For example, they can make reading more exciting in the form of interactive books, they can make it easier to learn arithmetic thanks to a playful, digital learning offer, or give the child a bit of freedom and independence through the (at best) simple use of age-appropriate offers. The magic word is "sensible media use".

How can my child use media sensibly?

Used correctly, media is more than entertainment for children. You can use it to learn at home and on the go, and fun and knowledge transfer often go hand in hand.

Electronic media can address, encourage and challenge children in various ways, for example by having interactive adventures in (browser) games and taking on other roles, by answering quiz questions online or following virtual handicraft instructions.

Tablets and smartphones are easy to use thanks to touchscreens and children quickly learn to communicate with them, play games or call up their favorite videos.

In order to be able to use (electronic) media sensibly, however, it takes time and support from parents. For them this means helping the child to classify what they see and experience virtually. And of course it also means creating incentives to deal with other things on a regular basis. In short: In order to use media properly, children need clear rules, for example when and how long they can play or watch, which programs are allowed, etc.

Gradually, the parents can then involve the child more and more in the decision-making process and explain to him why they consider which program or game to be good or not. In this way, children can discover the big world of screen media safely and securely. That is good and important. Media can stimulate children's thinking and learning processes and support the youngsters in dealing with their own everyday life and environment, for example through child-friendly explanatory programs or, for older children, through the Internet as a source of information. TV programs, apps or computer games are not per se “worse” than analog painting, handicrafts or reading books. It always depends on the right mix of virtual and real.

In summary, it can be said that useful ways of using media for children can be:

• child-friendly knowledge and explanatory broadcasts
• (interactive) learning programs and apps
• Generally offers for the playful transfer of knowledge
• certain reading, handicrafts and games offers
• child-friendly search engines

The coolest media tips for kids

There are many media offers that children find “cool”. But not all of them are also suitable for small users. The "klicksafe" portal assigns the following properties to a child-friendly app or website:

• it has a simple structure, is easy to use, contains little text and is in child-friendly language
• it stimulates the child's curiosity and also the imagination
• there is no advertising and no links to non-child-friendly offers such as social media etc.
• there are no chargeable extensions (e.g. in-app purchases) and it does not ask for any personal data
• it is non-violent

Popular online offers for children include:

Blind cow: a search engine especially for children. In addition to the search function, there are also age-appropriate surfing tips, videos, interactive offers and news.

fragFINN.de: This search engine for six to twelve year old children brings together around 5,000 checked online offers. In addition, for young surfers there are, among other things, on the portal. News, a quiz, games and the Finnreporter.

helles-koepfchen.de: This combination of search engine and knowledge portal offers, among other things. Age-appropriate editorial articles and reports, news, game tips and a community in which young users can exchange ideas.

internet-abc.de: This offer from the non-profit association of the same name in cooperation with the Grimme Institute is a playful and safe offer for young “net newcomers” and aims to provide concrete assistance in dealing with the Internet. There is a section for children with various learning modules, link and game tips and opportunities to participate. In addition, parents and teachers will each find a separate section.

kikaninchen.de: On this multimedia offer of the children's channel (KIKA) from ARD and ZDF, preschool children and their parents can gain experience with the Internet in a playful way. Under the "adult button" parents can find information on how they can accompany their children through the online world, as well as tips for handicrafts and games.

kika.de: On the official website of the ARD and ZDF children's channel there are TV programs for children, tips on handicrafts, painting and cooking, games, videos and activities to participate.

kindersache.de: On this offer from the Deutsches Kinderhilfswerk e. V. there are z. B. Film and book tips, do-it-yourself ideas, suggestions for (online) games and opportunities to participate.

MINTmagie: #MINTmagie is a campaign by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF). There are various child-friendly offers on the subjects of mathematics, computer science, natural sciences and technology to try out and discover.

Broadcast with the mouse: At wdrmaus.de, younger children in particular will find appealing content with the mouse and the elephant, e.g. B. audio stories, games, the broadcast with the mouse or a programming video course.

Media consumption by children: how long is ok?

In general, the following applies: According to the Federal Center for Health Education (BZgA), how certain media offers affect the children and how they deal with the content used depends not only on the quality of the respective offer, but also on factors such as:

• Age and stage of development of the child
• current life situation
• surroundings
• previous experience with media

One thing is clear: children who hang too much in front of the TV screen are not doing themselves or their development any good. Weight gain, emotional deficits, insomnia or poor posture are just some of the risks associated with excessive media use. Still, apps and the World Wide Web are not inherently bad.

While the BZgA already approves (picture) books and (pre-) reading in infancy, parents should be stricter with their children's digital pastime and, according to the recommendation, orient themselves to the following dose of screen time per day:

• 0-3 years: preferably not at all
• 3-6 years: together with parents, maximum 30 minutes
• 6-10 years: together with parents, maximum 45-60 minutes
• 10-13 years: approx. 60 minutes

Note: These figures are guidelines, every child is different and the amount of media usage per day can therefore also vary.

Media consumption by children: parents should know that

Children are mostly curious about the different forms of media. In order for this open access to remain positive in the long term, parents should support their offspring in finding child-friendly offers or in protecting their children from unsuitable and dangerous sites and apps. This can be done as follows:

• install special child protection programs
• create their own account with a password for the child
• Define a suitable start page (e.g. blind cow, internet-abc.de etc.)
• Talk to the child about what dangerous content is on the Internet and what to do if they encounter it. There are z. B. a brochure from the Commission for the Protection of Minors in the Media.
• Show interest in what the child is doing online, on a tablet or smartphone

There are also various online offers that help parents make the World Wide Web safe for their children:

"Apps for children": In this app database of the German Youth Institute (dji.de), parents can find out about child-friendly apps and search for individually suitable app offers.

"Growing up well with the media": This initiative aims to support parents and teachers in enabling children and young people to use media safely. There are i.a. lots of related information, e.g. B. also current research results, as well as a database for children's media.

"LOOK AT! What your child does with media. ”: Wants to help parents to find out more about digital media, wants to raise awareness of risks and gives recommendations for action. Plus: There is a chat with media coaches.

“Surfing without risk”: On this website of the Federal Ministry for Families, Seniors, Women and Youth, parents can find useful information about safe and child-friendly use of the Internet, including: there is also a generator for secure passwords, suggestions for network rules, information material or tips for children's websites on the Internet.

In general, parents should always know what their child is watching and what content the programs have. Listen to the child when they want to talk or have questions about something they saw and watch your child.

If it seems aggressive, unfocused, over-excited or bored after the screen time, it may be that it was too long. If possible, reduce the time in front of the screen. Controlled, protected and limited in time, the use of media for children can definitely be something useful and positive.

Tags:  dental care magazine healthy workplace