With tablets and e-readers becoming increasingly prevalent in classrooms and homes, many parents have questions about screen time and reading. If your child enjoys reading on a Kindle or another device, you may wonder:
- What impact does reading have on my child’s brain?
- Which is better for my child – reading on paper or reading on a screen?
- Is there anything I can do to improve my kid’s e-reader experience?
In Era’s podcast “Fostering Healthy Screen Habits,” we explore how screens affect your child’s brain and behavior, examining the different impacts of video viewing versus reading on brain development. We also provide expert recommendations for optimizing screen use in your family.
The Brain Science Behind Reading
Research shows that reading affects your child’s brain differently than watching TV. According to neuroscientist Dr. Alex Korb, “There’s an interesting study that compared screen-time with reading time. The time kids spent reading was correlated with higher functional connectivity between visual language areas and other cognitive control regions of the brain, whereas watching more TV or more screen-time was related to lower connectivity between these visual language areas and other language and cognitive control regions of the brain.”
Books vs. Screens: Weighing the Options
Both traditional books and e-readers offer distinct advantages:
Benefits of E-Readers
- Appeal to reluctant readers, especially boys, due to familiarity with technology
- Convenience and portability
- Often preferred by teenagers (one study found most 10th graders favored e-readers)
Advantages of Paper Books
- Better reading comprehension (demonstrated by research with 10th graders in Norway)
- No concerns about blue light exposure
- Fewer potential distractions
The Challenge of Digital Distractions
Most digital devices serve multiple purposes – from communication to entertainment – which can create challenges for focused reading. Dr. Korb explains:
“A lot of people think they’re good at multitasking, but in general, nobody is. Studies show when you switch back and forth between tasks a lot over a short period of time, you don’t get as engaged and don’t feel as satisfied with any of those tasks. It’s best for both productivity and enjoyment if you focus on one thing at a time, because when you switch back and forth between two tasks, you are practicing being distracted.”
This “practice of distraction” can impair children’s ability to develop sustained concentration skills.
Expert Recommendations
To optimize your child’s reading experience with digital devices:
- Prioritize paper books when possible, but remember that reading on screens is still more beneficial for brain development than watching videos
- If using an e-reader:
- Adjust settings to block blue light
- Stop screen reading about an hour before bedtime
- Consider dedicating one device solely for reading
- Remove unnecessary apps and features to minimize distractions
Learn More
For additional insights on children and screen time, listen to Era’s podcast “Fostering Healthy Screen Habits,” which covers:
- Physical effects of screens on child health
- Screen impact on brain development
- Importance of family media planning
- Ways to use screens for family connection
