Digital Beginnings: The Cognitive and Creative Consequences of Screen Time in Early Childhood

Abstract

This narrative study explores the lived experiences of parents and early childhood educators concerning the influence of screen time on toddlers’ memory and creativity. Through storytelling and first-hand accounts, the research captures the nuances of digital exposure in the formative years of children. The study aims to humanize the data and paint a holistic picture of how digital media intersects with imagination, memory, and early learning. This study comprise of 12 parents and three playschool teachers. The narratives reveal a delicate balance where screens act as both enablers and inhibitors shaping young minds in complex ways. The narratives revealed that excessive screen time significantly influenced toddlers’ cognitive learning abilities, particularly in the areas of memory and recall. Parents and educators often described children as quick to pick up facts from videos or apps, but struggling with everyday remembering tasks.

Introduction

1. Background and Context
In today’s digital age, screens are deeply embedded in the lives of toddlers—for learning, play, and parenting support. While they offer educational opportunities, they also raise concerns about their effects on memory, creativity, and development.

2. Research Insights
Recent studies highlight both benefits and risks:

• Positive effects occur when content is age-appropriate and co-viewed with caregivers.

• Negative impacts of excessive or unsupervised screen time include:

  • Cognitive delays (attention, memory, executive function)

  • Reduced language development

  • Increased sedentary behavior, obesity risk

  • Social-emotional challenges, like poor emotion recognition and aggression

  • Sleep issues, anxiety, and depression

Experts recommend:

• No screen time for ages 0–2

• Max 60 minutes/day for ages 3–8, with parental engagement

3. Study Overview
This study used narrative inquiry to explore real-life experiences of 12 parents and 3 preschool teachers, focusing on how screen time affects toddlers’ creativity and memory.

Key Themes from Narratives

Findings from Parent and Teacher Narratives

1. Learning vs. Forgetfulness

   • Children remember digital facts (e.g., planets) but struggle with everyday recall (e.g., where their crayons are).

2. Imitation Over Imagination

   • Play has become repetitive, often mimicking digital content instead of original storytelling.

3. Passive vs. Active Use

   • Passive viewing led to boredom and short attention spans, while guided interaction (e.g., discussing content) sparked creativity.

4. Displacement of Real-World Activity

   • Screen time often replaced outdoor play and peer interaction, reducing physical and emotional development.

5. Memory Fragmentation

   • Children displayed strong digital memory but weak real-life recall, suggesting cognitive strain.

6. Parental Guilt and Dependency

   • Parents admitted using screens for relief, often accompanied by guilt and concern over dependency.

7. Importance of Co-Engagement

   • Parents and teachers stressed that it’s not just screen use, but how and with whom it's used that matters.

Conclusion

The narratives revealed that excessive screen time significantly influenced toddlers’ cognitive learning abilities, particularly in the areas of memory and recall. Parents and educators often described children as quick to pick up facts from videos or apps, but struggling with everyday remembering tasks. For example, while some toddlers could recall the names of cartoon characters or songs, they frequently forgot basic routines such as where they kept their belongings or following multi-step instructions. Another consistent observation was the emergence of a disturbed or restless mindset when children were without gadgets. Several parents noted that toddlers became irritable, anxious, or bored quickly if screens were unavailable, suggesting an early dependency on digital devices for stimulation. This pattern not only affected their ability to focus but also raised concerns about how reliance on gadgets might shape their long-term learning habits. Overall, the findings highlight that while screen time can facilitate rapid information learning, it often compromises deep memory retention, focus, and emotional balance, making it necessary to regulate usage and promote alternative forms of engagement.

References

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Copyright

Copyright © 2025 Jagirdar Lubna Batool, Dr. M. N. Farooqui. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.