Screen Time vs Sports: Finding the Right Balance for Kids

There doesn’t have to be a lot of fancy equipment. Kids are exposed to screens all around them these days. Digital devices have become a part of our daily lives, whether it be online classes or videos for learning, games, social media or entertainment. This presents a greater need to discuss screen time and sports. It is not about the removal of screens, but to assure that children are receiving adequate amounts of physical activity, outdoor time, rest and non-screened peer time.

Sometimes parents and schools struggle to find the balance. A child might use the tablet for hours of homework followed by hours of games. Meanwhile, children’s physical activities, outdoor games for kids and sports can help to foster healthy growth, confidence, social skills and learning in children.

How Screen Time and Sports are Balanced?

It is not necessarily bad for children if they use screens. Children can learn through the use of technology, communicate, produce content and share it, research topics and learn how to use useful digital skills.

The actual problem with screen time isn’t kids using a cell phone, tablet, or computer. The issue is when screens begin to consume time that could be spent on things that are significant to their growth. If it’s spent in front of a screen for several hours, a child may have less time for outdoor play, exercise, hobbies, friends, family, etc. and a good night’s sleep. 

The American Academy of Paediatrics suggests parents ask themselves if using the media is “crowding out” other important areas of children’s daily lives, such as school tasks, family time, physical activity, and rest.

That’s why it should never be a question of how many hours of screen time are OK. The question that should be asked is: “Is there a diminished space for all other needs a child requires without screen time?”

How to ensure that screen time doesn’t replace sport

The activities and sports on the screen are vastly different. One can be used for learning and fun; the other one can move the children and provide them with interaction with the environment.

Screen-Based Activities	Sports and Active Play
Often have to sit and stand	Promote physical activity
Can provide assistance for digital learning	Develop physical skills
Can provide entertainment	Promotes active recreation
May be done alone	Typically requires group effort
Can use digital skills	Develop coordination and movement
Easy to go on for extended periods	Naturally involve breaks and movement
Can link children using technology	Encourages physical interaction

There does not need to be an end-to-end replacement of any part. Children must have digital skills to ensure they are prepared for modern life but they must also have a need for movement, play, rest and experiencing life in the real world.

Kids gain advantages from sports

Sports provides a wonderful opportunity for children to be active after school but also provide them with a chance to have some fun and find out what their body can do. Children can learn a new sporting skill, play with friends or just run around and get active, all of which gets children trying new things, socializing with others, and slowly establishing their confidence.

For children and teenagers aged 5–17 years, the World Health Organization (WHO) encourages at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity per day. It also recommends including activities that strengthen muscles and bones at least three times a week.

• Supports Physical Health

Children develop healthy movement habits on a regular basis. Running, jumping, swimming, cycling, football, basketball, and badminton are all activities that work different muscles and develop balance, coordination, strength and stamina. Exercise may also help maintain good bone and muscle health, heart health, motor function and general physical growth. 

By regularly exercising, children and young people also benefit their healthy growth, bone development, muscles, motor development and their thinking, according to the WHO.

2. Develops Coordination and Motor Skills

There are a number of common actions that need to be taught. Coordinating throwing a ball, catching a ball, changing direction when running, balancing, jumping or hitting a shuttle ball are all examples of throwing skills where the ball has to be thrown and controlled in an appropriate manner.

Children have opportunities to practice these skills over and over during sport. As they get used to getting around, they also get used to engaging in new physical activities. The more comfortable they are with moving the more comfortable they are with trying new physical activities.

• Builds Teamwork

While a team sport may be successful sometimes, the point is that it’s not always about one individual. Communicating with and working with others is part of the requirements of football, basketball, hockey, cricket, volleyball, etc.

Children recognize the value of passing, listening, working together, sharing and respecting others on the team. Some of these skills can also be used in class, group projects and in life.

• Builds Confidence

It is a time-consuming process to learn a new sport. For a kid, may not be able to hit ball well initially but may be able to improve with practice or learn a new movement initially and improve over time.

That the progress can give a feeling of achievement. Kids are taught that it is acceptable to make a mistake, and that improvement can be stumbling blocks may take time and lots of practice.

• Supports Mental Well-Being

Exercise has a positive effect on children’s mental health, too. Physical activity provides the children with an opportunity to get active, socialize, be playful and catch some much-needed rest after schoolwork.

The WHO makes a connection between physical activity in the lives of children and young people and psychological and social gains, such as better self-confidence and social interaction.

The implications of replacing physical activity with screen time

Not necessarily the use of a screen is the biggest concern. It’s the things that children give up doing due to spending too much time on screen.

An example of this is if a person merely plays for 2 hours, that’s not a big deal by itself. If these 2 hours are replaced with any other time spent that is not as physically active, such as a sports class, family time, reading or sleep, then the impact may be different.

Here are some signs to look out for when searching for signs of imbalance:

Parents and teachers might observe a child:

• Uses a cell phone, tablet or gaming system for a lot of free time
• Avoids outdoor activities
• Gets angry when forced to discontinue use of a device
• Has trouble respecting screen time limits
• Regularly stays up late using a device
• Has very limited opportunity to be physically active during the day
• Likes to spend more time on computer or tablet than with friends
• Watch TV during mealtimes or at family gatherings

Children with serious problems do not necessarily show these signs. They only have to let you know that the everyday isn’t sufficiently structured.

What’s Healthy Screen Time for Kids?

There are no golden rule amounts to screen time for every child. These are all factors and features that influence a child’s behaviour when using electronic devices.

The American Academy of Paediatrics has been promoting the idea of considering a range of children’s media use and the quality of that use rather than just an absolute time cap when children consume media. The guidance also suggests that at night it should not be in the bedroom and at least turn off screens one hour before going to bed at night for sleeping.

What a better way to think about Screen Time

Instead of asking a child what screen time they have, ask these questions:

1. Are you using the screen for learning, communicating, creating, and/or entertaining?
2. Is it taking the place of exercise in some way?
3. Does it impact on sleep?
4. Is the child continuing to be with family and friends?
5. Is the child doing schoolwork and/or other duties?
6. Is there any great struggle for the child to stop using the device?

This way, you can establish a better screen time for children that doesn’t become an enemy.

Outdoor games for kids are not common these days but they’re still important

Giving children experiences outdoors that they can’t get on a TV screen. They can feel the ground under their feet, can estimate distances, respond to the actions of others, feel the weather and experience open spaces, and communicate with other players in person.

There can be movement and social interaction in simple games like tag, hide-and-seek, skipping, cycling, running race games and catch games equipment outside for play either. Children can have their own games and activities in a safe open space.

Cool games for children to play outdoors

Simple activities that can be introduced in the school/Parent are:

• Football
• Cricket
• Basketball
• Badminton
• Tag
• Relay races
• Cycling
• Skipping
• Frisbee
• Obstacle courses
• Treasure hunts
• Running games

It is important to make physical activity enjoyable. Sports and play should be fun and children will stay active.

More than just physical fitness, sports for child development

Sports offer more than just muscle and stamina to children. Sport provides children with opportunities to make decisions, make rapid decisions, communicate and regulate their emotions.

Learn skills that are important for life through sport

Skill	How Sports Can Help
Discipline	Children practice regularly in the discipline
Patience	Skills take time to develop
Teamwork	Players work toward common goals
Communication	Teammates need to communicate with each other
Confidence	Progress creates a sense of achievement
Resilience	Children learn to deal with errors
Decision-making	Games require quick decisions
Responsibility	There are roles and rules for players to follow

This is why sports should be taken not as an additional activity outside of the classroom but as a curricular activity.

How Schools can support Children to achieve a balance

This is a significant role as children spend a large proportion of their day within the school. Not everything a child does at home can be controlled by the school, but there are things that a school can do to make movement a part of the school day.

Good sports facilities can help to encourage pupils to take part in physical activity. Active habits can be promoted in outdoor courts, playgrounds, fields, running tracks and multipurpose fields.

Make Physical Activity a part of the School Program

There are a number of ways to promote movement in schools:

• Physical activity lessons on a regular basis
• Provide opportunities for players to take a break in time for play.
• Sports clubs
• Inter-house competitions
• After-school sports programmes
• Outdoor learning activities
• Walking or other physical activities that involve walking
• Safe playgrounds are available to use in the community
• Multi-sport facilities

Not all students are athletes, and the goal should not be to make all students competitive athletes. The goal is to inspire kids to find activities that they like to do with movement!

Design more fit-for-purpose school sport facilities

Sporting infrastructure in good condition can be a key determinant in the ease with which children access sport.

A well-designed school campus can feature courts, artificial turf fields, running tracks, children’s play areas and open recreation areas. A variety of spaces enable students to choose an activity based on their interests and abilities.

When designing or redeveloping sports facilities, the following should be taken into account: age range; safety; accessibility to the facility; drainage; maintenance of the facility; the number of students using the facility; and supervision of the facility.

Discover Gallant Sports, a leading provider of sports infrastructure and sports facility solutions for school sport.

Parent healthy habits lead to children’s healthy habits

Parents do not have to remove phones, tablets, TVs and games from the table. But in some cases, restricting screen time can inspire even greater curiosity in children.

Rather, it is better to establish routine. Children should be able to learn when they can use the device and when it is time to work, eat, play outside, spend time with family and sleep.

Consider using the “Activity Before Screen” Approach

A straightforward approach is to encourage kids to do an active portion of their day followed by an active entertainment.

For example:

Homework 🡺outdoor 🡺 play/sport 🡺dinner 🡺some entertainment 🡺bedtime

This may vary with the age of the child and family schedule. What is crucial is that screens are not the first part of call when the child has free time.

Take a look at this Simple Daily Balance for Kids!

Every family has its own ideal schedule. But it’s possible to use a simple structure to ensure that something important is not being neglected.

Part of the Day	What Activity?
Morning	School preparation and movement
School hours	Classes, physical education and active breaks
Afternoon	Rest and homework
Evening	Sports or outdoor play
Dinner	Family time without devices
Later evening	Limited screen-based entertainment
Before going to bed	Reading and conversation/relaxation

Active play for younger children may occur in a number of shorter sessions instead of a single sports session. Older kids and teens can engage in organized sports, biking, walking, gym class or recreation.

School screen time and sports are compatible

Often it is easy to get into the “screens v. sports” debate, but not all the time. With mindful use of technology, physical activity can be supported.

Children may see a tutorial video and learn a new skill for their basketball, a dance workout, a running distance, rules of a sport or record their progress.

The key is after the screen is turned off.

The technology has supported physical activity and not taken its place, if the five-minute video gets a child up and active for 45 minutes for example.

Few tips to minimize excessive screen time

Deleting the app may cause a dispute if your child is already spending too much time on the screens. It is easier to keep a change that is not that big.

Start with these simple actions if you’re not ready to take the leap

• Set device-free meals

Take back phones and tablets during meals.

• Create a screen free bedtime routine

The AAP suggests that children under the age of 2 not have screens in their bedrooms and children over 2 should have screens turned off at least 1 hour

• Offer an alternative

Don’t just say stop playing. Suggest to take a bike ride together, play football, play badminton, draw pictures, read books, play another game.

• Make outdoor time social

Activities are fun for kids when performed with friends and/or family.

• Give children a choice of sport

A child who is not fond of cricket but is fond of other sports such as swimming, skating, football, dancing or badminton.

6. Be a role model

Children watch adults’ behaviour. They may feel rules about screen time are unfair if their parents spending all their free time on their phone.

What to do when a child refuses sports participation?

Please don’t rule out the possibility that the child is lazy. Some children might not enjoy playing sport due to being beginners, lack in confidence or they have had bad experiences with a game of sport.

Start at a relaxed speed and engage in activity that is enjoyable. Do not ask them to enter a competitive sport until you begin a family walk or bike ride, or visit the playground or swimming pool.

The goal is to help children enjoy the activity. Easier to build a habit when they are doing something they enjoy will be easier to make a habit of. 

FAQs 

Q1. How much time is allowed for children to view screens per day?

Ans. There is no such thing as a universal daily limit that suits every child and age group! For parents, the age of the child, purpose of the screen time, sleep, school work, family time, and physical activity should be taken into consideration. WHO has specific guidelines for sedentary screen time for younger children and the AAP has guidelines for evaluating the amount of screen time in the overall child’s routine.

Q2. Are kids better off playing sports than watching TV?

Ans. The purpose of sports is different from screen use so they don’t have to be mutually exclusive. Sports are a source of physical activity, activity, social interaction, physical and emotional development and screens are a source of learning, creativity, communication and entertainment. The aim is to ensure that too much screen time does not take the place of important things.

Q3. What is the daily amount of physical activity that kids require?

Ans. For children and teens aged 5–17, WHO recommends an average of at least 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity each day across the week. These activities can include physical activity, active games, walking and cycling, physical education and recreation and other forms of moving.

Q4. What is the most suitable activity for children to play outdoors?

Ans. Football, cricket, badminton, basketball, tag, running games and obstacle course, cycle race, skipping are some good outdoor games. Ideally an activity should be at the child’s age, ability, interest and space level.

Q5. Does screen time impact kids’ sleep?

Ans. A high amount of screen time and the timing of this can affect healthy sleep. The American Academy of Paediatrics advises against screens at night in children’s bedrooms and suggests that screens be switched off at least one hour before bedtime to promote sleep.

Q6. How can schools foster kids time off screens?

Ans. Schools can provide regular PE, active breaks, sports clubs, access to school sports facilities, outdoor learning and playgrounds. 

Fostering an active lifestyle that is easy and fun can stimulate children to develop active lifestyles without making technology an absolute no-go.

Conclusion

Children need a routine which has a regular schedule of physical activity, outdoor play, social time, and sufficient sleep time and/or family time. In the meantime, screens can serve as useful learning, creative and communication tools and instruments – with a certain degree of wisdom.

The purpose for parents is to establish a schedule whereby kids will have justification to turn off the device and get up. Schools can make this easier by investing in their playgrounds, courts, fields and school sports infrastructure.

In the end, the healthiest lifestyle isn’t a matter of controlling the amount of time you spend in front of a screen or a matter of making every kid into an athlete. It’s about making a balanced childhood in which children learn, play, move, connect, rest and explore the world outside of the screen.