If you thought your child was the only kid that could unlock your phone to play “Angry Birds” then you’re sadly mistaken. A new study found that almost 40% of children under age 2 use mobile devices. They don’t just chew on them either. Common Sense Media found infants watch videos and play games on phones.
By the age of 8, 72% of children have used a smartphone, tablet or similar device.
“This is the true sign that the digital generation has arrived,” – Common Sense Media’s founder and CEO Jim Steyer.
The study found that mobile-device use among very young children is growing rapidly, especially compared to other mediums. Television viewership remained stable, with 66% of children under 2 watching in both 2011 and 2013. Computer use grew from 4% to 10% over the two years, but DVD viewership actually declined, from 52% in 2011 to 46% in 2013.
mobile kids
Not only are more children using tablets and smartphones, they’re using them for longer periods of time. The amount of time spent using these devices tripled: In 2013, children ages 0 to 8 spent an average of 15 minutes a day using mobile devices; that’s up from 5 minutes a day in 2011.
