Parents’ Perceptions about the Mobile Technology Use of Preschool Aged Children

TLDR

Children today grow up amid rapidly evolving technology, with infants watching television for an hour a day and toddlers eagerly using smartphones and tablets, making it essential to understand media’s role in early development. This study aimed to examine parents’ use of mobile technology for their preschool-aged children and to explore their perceptions of that use. A quantitative survey of 85 parents from three Turkish preschools was conducted to gather data on mobile technology practices. Results showed that preschoolers commonly use smartphones mainly for games rather than educational purposes, raising concerns among parents.

Abstract

In the modern media world—22 years after the birth of the World Wide Web, 15 years after the launch of Google, 10 years after the first social networking site, eight years after the first YouTube video, six years after the first touch-screen smartphone, five years after the first “app” store, and two years after the iPad—children grow up alongside technology that changes at lightning speed. At only a few months old, babies are spending an hour a day watching television, and by two, children are begging to play with smartphones and tablet devices. An accurate understanding of the role of media in children's lives is essential for promoting healthy development. The purpose of this study was to investigate how parents of preschool-aged children use mobile technology and to explore parents’ perceptions about that technology use. This study involved a general quantitative methodology and design. The sample included 85 parents from three preschools in Turkey. Results revealed prevalent smartphone use by preschoolers, generally not for educational purposes but for games, causing some concern for parents.