Children use gadgets every day

There have long been fears about the time children spend in front of screens, but new research suggests youngsters are actually combining new technology with every day life.

It argues that while use of computers, TVS and other devices has risen in recent years, the majority of this extra time is made up while children are doing other things, such as socialising, travelling and studying.

The study, by an academic at Oxford University, is based on diary entries from eight to 18-year-olds, gathered in 2000 and 2015, on how they spend their time.

It concludes that in 2000, youngsters spent two hours and 59 minutes on screenbased activities – this would be largely made up of TV, computer and videogame use.

In 2015, this had risen to four hours and 45 minutes.

But the study goes on to say that out of the extra hour and 46 minutes, around 30 minutes was due to screenbased activities – children using TV, computer and videogames as their main focus.

The other hour and 16 minutes is due to children using devices while taking part in a range of other activities, such as at school, socialising, travelling, studying, eating and playing sports, it suggests.

Study author Dr Killian Mullan, senior research associate at Oxford’s Centre for Time Use Research, said: “Just like we adults do, children spread their digital tech use throughout the day, while doing other things.”