Smartphones, tablets, computers and televisions are omnipresent in our everyday lives. Even preschool children spend a lot of time alone in their room in front of a screen instead of gaining sensory experiences, such as creative handicrafts, bird watching during a walk in the park or playing outdoors. This deprives children of important learning experiences that they would normally gain through regular exercise, conversation and play in their immediate environment. This development leads to increasingly recognizable differences in social, cognitive and motor skills as well as vocabulary between peers. Children no longer experience activities such as riding scooters or stroking animals themselves, but only observe them passively on screens. Screen time is no substitute for real experiences, active language exchange, movement and hands-on activities. Motor development and speaking skills require regular physical activity and active communication. Daily conversations with parents are particularly important because they expand children's vocabulary and thus improve their comprehension of texts at school later on. Agreed times and rules for media content as well as regular joint activities such as kneading dough or playing ball enrich children's motor skills and their emotional bond with each other. Such shared moments create opportunities to experience the joy of being active. They also help children to listen and communicate better. By modeling a balance between screen time and other activities, parents promote a healthy lifestyle that positively influences their children's well-being and development.

For their general development, children need active opportunities every day to engage with the real world, experience self-determined activities and communicate with other people. Conscious and responsible use of digital media at preschool age is particularly recommended. Children are often guided by role models and unconsciously adopt the habits of adults, including their media behavior. Support your child's development by exploring their living environment together and talking about everyday experiences or topics that interest them. Try to ensure a balanced approach to digital media and inform yourself about the content your child consumes to avoid overwhelming them. Digital content that encourages children to think, react or act creatively is more beneficial than passive content. Times of shared media use allow parents and children to play an interactive game together or enjoy a movie night with snacks and talk about it. These shared experiences are an opportunity for parents to actively guide their children's media consumption and steer it in a positive direction. It is also important to provide children with sufficient opportunities for physical activity to reduce stress and promote healthy physical development.