One concern amongst daycare providers is how technology in daycare (television, video games, computers, etc.) affects young children in their care. Daycare providers are also concerned with acceptable limits per day of access to technology.
A Facebook member asked: “If you run a home daycare do you keep the TV on during the day? I have been but simply for background noise but I worry parents may think I plop there kids in front of it all day which I don’t. So do you have the TV on or off in your daycare? “
We asked the fans of OwnADaycare on Facebook who are daycare owners for their suggestions. Here are some of the best responses:
- Play music instead! I have the TV on at drop off in the morning and they get to watch a short bit while I am getting lunch ready other than that it’s music. They get an occasional movie on tired or bad weather days. They will get used to it.
- Absolutely no TV here children get enough TV at home that they do not need any here. It’s the parent’s choice how much they get at home and if they’re getting any while not at home that is just extra they don’t need. I am not a babysitter, I take pride in knowing that I am a licensed home and the children here are playing and learning through social interactions all day! Use special toys that you only get out once in a while or special activities to keep little hands busy if you need to cook etc. Yes I use music from a radio sometimes for background noise but too much background noise in my opinion isn’t good either. Some children can’t handle that much stimulation and can cause hyper behavior without even knowing that it’s because of all the noise!
- We play toddler tunes. but when the after school kids get here we switch it to the karaoke channel. The toddlers will even stand in front of the TV trying to read the words. I have a few mic’s and we do A lot of singing and dancing. I would love to teach Zumba for kids. If the TV is on we usually have it on the animal planet or Nat Geo or other channels like it. We have plan movie days but it’s mostly music, it keeps me motivated and moving.
- I only use the TV during lunch prep for about 30 minutes. occasionally for a brief period in the am for those that arrive early but that’s it. the rest of our day is filled with activities and learning time so the TV isn’t needed.
- TV isn’t allowed for kids less than 2 in NC. I may use it to watch an educational show or use it as “treat” occasionally. Also, no more than 30 minutes per day. That is the law here in NC.
- For back ground noise, which isn’t normally needed i play cds on the radio or we sing songs but usually you wouldn’t be able to hear anything on the TV anyway. Also i play Christian music during naptime to cancel out any other noises like phone or door.
- NO TV in our daycare center. Children engage in active play and socialize with other children. We have children’s music playing for ‘background noise’ instead.
- If I turn the TV on, the kids end up watching it. So I try to keep it off unless it’s at a time when I usually let them watch something. Try turning on some kid’s music as background noise instead. That’s what I do.
- we are now only allowed to have TV on a total of 2 hrs. a day. Sometimes there is no TV on. Other days it is on, never do any of the kids sit and watch it. We sometimes have Disney on without the sound. There are a few videos I use for our music and dance time, my husband tends to use TV more than me. If TV is used… we use is as an activity not to sit on the couch do nothing. This is a home here. Heck, sometimes I need a break! I have a 22yr old Barney video that still is the best 20 minutes of quiet time I have to get the lunch fixed. Right now as I type this, I have 4 on my lap as we are seeing what little Einstein can teach us today. We talk all the way through it and do all the motion.
- The TV is on in morning as they come in-15 minutes maybe (Cat in Hat), on before nap while i set up cots-30 minutes (Clifford), after nap while i put cots away-30 minutes (Arthur), sometimes if it’s raining they will watch a movie or the after school kids like Wild Kratts.
- I use TV as a transition time tool. It is on in the morning for Mickey Mouse Clubhouse during my drop offs. Then while I cook lunch they watch it as they clean up the toys. On rainy days we have a movie when we can’t get outside. I also have 2 days a week where I only have 1 child for 3 hours in the morning and his mom has actually asked that I let him watch TV because he gets bored unless we are outside. I make him earn the TV time with books. Each book we read he gets one show. He also has to help me sort the toys while he watches. This is our time to check them for broken pieces, or missing parts.
- I’m a little strange, the day care has its own room & there is a TV in there, but it’s never on during day care hrs…it is only for my own kids after closing.
- In my living room though, I turn the TV onto the news as soon as I wake up (to check the weather & find out what’s going on) & I leave it on that channel all day, even though I’m not even in the room. It’s really just a habit I guess.
- We own several daycares and TV is only on at nap time for music. State law says a maximum of 2 hours screen time. I feel TV on in background gets the kids over stimulated which in the long run gets harder on us. one of the first questions parents ask is if there’s a TV. Even if you have music on all the time the kids don’t appreciate the music anymore because it’s always on.
- I sometimes need noise but don’t care for most ‘kids-music.’ My one exception is Sesame Street so I’ve gone on YouTube and made a playlist of some of the better tunes. Also on Pandora I have a station that is mostly tunes from Disney movies and everyone sings along. My computer is pretty centrally located in my house so to have music there just makes sense for me.
- TV is a rare treat for us. Sometimes I use it while preparing meals, but it’s very rare. I just don’t feel like my parents are paying me to put their kids in front of a TV for background noise we have a CD player with kiddy songs playing.
- TV only on drop off and when i need to cook lunch so they sit down quietly. Other than that the radio is on pretty much all day. Some parents don’t like for the kids to watch TV all day and i always put myself in the parent’s shoes I wouldn’t want to drop off my son at a daycare and for him to just watch TV all day.
- I am allowed by the state to use the TV only 2 hrs. a day and I hardly ever turn it on, my kiddos get so excited to get to watch it! I record Calliou and Sesame Street so that is what they get to watch. It is on more on cold weather days. So for us it is a real treat.
- I don’t have a TV in my child care area. I do have one in my living room. I was having the TV on during nap for the children that would wake early or nap different than everyone else. When I joined 5-2-1-0 Let’s Go, my goal was to come up with activities for the children to do so we would have less TV. If you are working on accreditation, they want less than 2 hours per week of screen time. We now use no TV at all. My children make enough noise playing; we don’t need any background noise for sure
We do use music for song/dance time and at nap time. - TV is not a developmentally appropriate practice ever and the kids get enough at home!
- I do not like silence so we listen to A LOT of music. The television is actually placed outside the daycare area and a rare treat and only on for about 20 minutes if that. My children actually do not like watching television here because they would rather play.
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