Technology Use Position Statement
This statement is intended primarily to provide guidance to those working with
Sixpence programs, serving children from birth through age 3.
Infants and toddlers are growing up in environments saturated with a variety of traditional and new
technologies at a time of critical brain development, building secure relationships and establishing
healthy behaviors. Technology and interactive media are tools that can promote effective learning
and development when they are used intentionally, within the framework of developmentally
appropriate practice, to support learning goals established for individual children. Technology and
media should not exclude, diminish or interfere with children’s healthy communication, social
interactions, play and other developmentally appropriate activities with peers, family members and
educators/caregivers. Note: “educators/caregivers” is the term used in this statement to capture the
role of any adult working with any child in any capacity/environment.
In aligning with the latest American Academy of Pediatrics recommendations, Sixpence offers the
following principles to guide the use of technology and interactive media:
Using Developmentally Appropriate Practices to Guide Technology Use
A mindful approach should be used when selecting and using technology as it enables healthy
development, learning, creativity, interactions with others and relationships. The use of technology
should align with curriculum goals, a child-centered and play-oriented approach, hands-on
exploration, and relationship building.
Technology and media should not replace activities such as creative play, real -life exploration,
physical activity, outdoor experiences, conversations and social interactions that are important for
children’s development. Technology and media should be used to support learning, and to expand
young children’s access to new content, not as an isolated activity, or as the only
exposure/experience with the content.
Using Technology Appropriately
Technology should be used in moderation, and to enhance educational experiences, not to replace
essential activities, experiences and materials.
Sixpence joins the public health community in discouraging the use of screen media for children
under the age of 2. Because of their immature symbolic cognition, memory, and attention skills,
infants and young toddlers cannot learn from traditional digital media, as they do from interactions
with educators/caregivers. For children 2-5 years of age, screen time should be limited to 1 hour per
day of high quality programming with an emphasis on the educator’s/caregiver’s role in co-viewing
and re-teaching the content.
Using Technology Effectively
Effective uses of technology are active, hands-on, engaging and empowering. They give the child
control, provide adaptive scaffolds to ease the accomplishment of tasks, and are used as one of
many options to support children’s learning. Effective technology tools connect media and activities
with an emphasis on co-viewing and co-participation with educators/caregivers to help children
understand what they are seeing and to help them apply what they learn to the world around them.
