How Much Time Do Children Spend on the Computer?

Overview
Children spend slightly less time watching television than they did two decades ago,
according to a study performed by the University of Michigan in 2004. But they're not
necessarily using the extra time on sports or social activities. The study also reported
that children now spend several hours a week on their computers, something that wasn't
included in studies performed in the '80s. The University of Michigan theorized that the
few hours children were no longer spending watching TV were instead being spent in
front of their computers.

Statistics
According to the University of Michigan study, 76 percent of U.S. children have
computers and access to the Internet in their homes, and those between 12 and 17
years of age log in approximately five hours a week to use them. Comparatively, they
spend up to 14 hours a week watching television. Statistically, time on the computer
seems to be less than TV time. The New York Times cites a survey performed by the
Kaiser Family Foundation of over 2,000 students. A third of the students had computers
in their bedrooms with unsupervised Internet access.

Adult Viewpoint
According to Rasmussen Reports, a polling company, slightly more than half of adults
polled said they would prefer that children spent time on computers as opposed to
watching TV, but 75 percent of them also felt that young children spend too much time
on computers.

Effects
The website Healthykids says sedentary time, such as that spent on computers, has
been linked to weight problems in children. Economist Frank Stafford, one of the authors
of the University of Michigan study, also blames computer time for an increase in obesity
in children, because it takes them away from outdoor sports and activities. The Kaiser
survey linked heavy media use by children, including computer usage, to behavior
problems and lower grades.

Considerations
Donald Roberts, one of the authors of the Kaiser survey and a professor emeritus in
communications at Stanford University, says that the positive power of computers and
the Internet should not be overlooked. He points out that the Internet has broadened
children's horizons and has made it easier for them to find answers, because a click of
the mouse can result in a flood of information. KidSource Online recommends that
children in grade school have access to computers, but with age-appropriate capabilities
and software.

When three- and four-year-old children are given appropriate computer access, they
make greater developmental strides than those who are not.

Recommendations
Victoria Rideout, another principal author of the Kaiser survey, suggests that the
negative effects of computer usage by children can be offset by parents getting involved
and making rules regarding both how long the kids spend on the computer and what
they do there. KidSource Online suggests that more teachers be trained to turn
computers into instructional tools.