We tend to think when children are using screens, they are passive and sitting still. But they can move in response to what they watch. Or get inspiration for what to play next.
There have been concerns about screens making kids more sedentary and less active since TV was introduced more than half a century ago.
How much exercise do kids need? Australian guidelines around how much physical activity children need to do each day varies, depending on their age. And it’s even important for babies to spend time being active each day. We are working on a larger project to develop online resources for parents about using digital technologies with their children.
Content that involves music and dance will naturally get children moving. But parents also found it helpful to encourage children to mimic their favourite character’s “action moves” when watching programs such as Spiderman or PJ Masks.