Digital Smarts - The Three C’s of a Balanced Media Diet for Kids

Trying to make smarter choices about what media you use with your children? Consider the three C’s approach: the content, the context and the child. When looking at the quality of content, check out this list of resources that includes links to organizations that rate and review apps. Next, consider media just as an element of a “balanced diet,” including daily exercise, social engagement and good sleep. Putting media in this context and finding that balance is crucial for children’s development. Finally, consider your child and take note of how they interact with the media. Research indicates that “joint media engagement” — talking with children about what they are viewing, experiencing or creating — supports cognitive development and helps children learn more from media.