Technology
In this day and age, children are already growing up with a smartphone or tablet device in their hand. However, kindergarten and early primary teachers are sharing concerns that the rise of touchscreen devices means more children start school not ready to learn handwriting.
A Saturday morning discussion about the benefits of technology for children prompted primary school teacher Carolyn to send an SMS to ABC Radio Melbourne. Carolyn said she and her colleagues had noticed “a big decline in fine motor skills” among children arriving at prep and kindergarten.
Carolyn and her colleagues blame the students’ declining dexterity on their use of touchscreen devices such as tablets and smartphones.
“Children are holding crayons and scissors less and making fewer things with their hands,” she said. “We’ve noticed that sometimes, even if you pass a pencil or a paintbrush to a child, they’re not quite sure how to receive it and how to hold it.”
Pediatric occupational therapist Lisa Clark said that in households where there are a lot of electronic devices, in general, children spend less time than they used to in “messy play.” She said that children who spent too much time on touchscreens did not develop the fine motor skills they needed when it came time to learn to write.
But it’s not just writing; a growing number of children also have trouble holding scissors, tying shoelaces and even holding cutlery.
Although technology is a tool for learning, it is advised that parents make time for hands-on activities with their children. Clark suggests modeling with play dough to help build finger strength, crafting with different kinds of tools, and more importantly, limiting screen time.
By: Maytinee Kramer
