New research reveals children are fluent in
technology before they can read
In our modern and highly-connected world, technology can be both
an asset and a danger—especially for children. Kids today don’t
know a world without smartphones, and according to research from
the Modern Family Index (MFI), commissioned by Bright Horizons
(NYSE:BFAM) and conducted by The Harris Poll, 60% of parents say
their children started using technology before they could read.
Nearly three-quarters (73%) even admit their children could use a
“detox” from technology, including 68% of parents with children
under six years of age.
While the long-term impacts of excessive screen time have yet to
be fully uncovered, many are worried about the potential effect on
kids’ mental health. According to the 2024 U.S. Surgeon General’s
Advisory, Parents Under Pressure, the rapid adoption and evolution
of technology and social media pose new risks to children’s health
and safety.
Convenience Conundrum
More than half of parents (55%) use screens as a bargaining chip
to get their children to do things like chores or homework. As
today’s busy parents struggle to balance their own stress and the
overwhelming demands of their families and careers, working parents
are even more likely than their unemployed counterparts to use
screen time as a reward (57% vs. 42%). An even higher percentage
(58%) say they often use screens to keep their children quiet in
certain situations such as shopping or dining at a restaurant.
“Screens are essentially unavoidable today, but families should
be cautious and deliberate about introducing children to
screen-based activities in the early years. This can be hard to
hear and feel impractical, but the more guardrails you put in place
early, the less you’ll have to do retroactively,” said Rachel
Robertson, Chief Academic Officer at Bright Horizons, a leading
provider of high-quality early childhood education and care.
“Technology of all kinds is designed to make our lives easier, so
naturally, parents occasionally find themselves using it as a way
to manage behaviors, especially in high-stress environments.”
Parents harbor plenty of concerns when it comes to their
children, but at the top of the list, behind their children’s
safety (57%), is concern for their mental health (49%). While
technology also has its benefits, 42% of parents are worried about
the amount of screen time their children engage in and slightly
more (44%) acknowledge their children spend too much time in front
of screens/using technology.
Making Time for Screen-Free Play
Many parents also recognize that excessive technology use could
be taking away from time children spend on more productive
activities. Around 3 in 5 (61%) report their children do not do
enough healthy activities, such as playing outside with friends,
playing in an organized way, playing with toys, coloring, doing
homework, or reading. As a result, parents cite negative impacts on
their children’s behavior, including spending less quality time
with the family (39%), becoming dependent on technology to regulate
their emotions (35%), staying confined to their room (30%), and
getting anxious about in-person interactions (23%).
When children participate in unstructured, imaginative play
offline, they are developing important skills that can’t be
achieved through screen time. Play relieves stress and increases
happiness, builds feelings of empathy, creativity, and
collaboration, and supports the growth of sturdiness and grit. When
children are limited in their opportunities for play, their
development can be significantly impaired.
Robertson adds, “For that reason, it is critically important to
ensure we’re carving out time for kids to engage in unstructured
play, explore the world around them, develop friendships offline,
and garner a love for reading from a young age. Developing these
cognitive, linguistic, social-emotional, and physical skills is
crucial to ensuring kids aren’t just prepared for school, but to be
successful throughout their whole lives.”
About the Bright Horizons Modern Family Index
Over the past decade, Bright Horizons has tracked trends
impacting working families through its annual Modern Family Index
(MFI), highlighting the unique challenges and priorities they’ve
faced. In 2025, the report has been refreshed and will encompass
several waves of survey data focused on timely topics to be
released throughout the year.
To download the 2025 Bright Horizons Modern Family Index, click
here.
Research Method
The research was conducted online within the United States by
The Harris Poll on behalf of Bright Horizons between February 6-10,
2025, among 2,000 adults ages 18 and older – among whom 622 are a
parent or guardian of child(ren) under 18 years of age (“parents”).
Data are weighted where necessary by age, gender, region,
race/ethnicity, household income, education, marital status, size
of household, and political party affiliation to bring them in line
with their actual proportions in the population.
Respondents are selected among those who have agreed to
participate in our surveys. The sampling precision of Harris online
polls is measured by using a Bayesian credible interval. The sample
data is accurate to within ± 2.5 percentage points using a 95%
confidence level. This credible interval will be wider among
subsets of the surveyed population of interest.
All sample surveys and polls, whether or not they use
probability sampling, are subject to other multiple sources of
error which are most often not possible to quantify or estimate,
including, but not limited to coverage error, error associated with
nonresponse, error associated with question wording and response
options, and post-survey weighting and adjustments.
About Bright Horizons Family Solutions Inc.
Bright Horizons® is a leading global provider of high-quality
early education and childcare, back-up care, and workforce
education services. For more than 35 years, we have partnered with
employers to support workforces by providing services that help
working families and employees thrive personally and
professionally. Bright Horizons operates more than 1,000 early
education and childcare centers in the United States, the United
Kingdom, the Netherlands, Australia, and India, and serves more
than 1,450 of the world’s leading employers. Bright Horizons’ early
education and childcare centers, back-up child and elder care, and
workforce education programs help employees succeed at each life
and career stage. For more information, go to
www.brighthorizons.com.
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version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250319262303/en/
Laura McDowell Laura.McDowell@brighthorizons.com
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