Screen time among children aged 3–11 attending preschool and elementary school in mainland France in 2022: initial findings from the Enabee study

In 2022, the average time children spent in front of screens was 1 hour and 22 minutes per day for 3- to 5-year-olds, 1 hour and 53 minutes per day for 6- to 8-year-olds, and 2 hours and 33 minutes per day for 9- to 11-year-olds attending preschool and elementary school; it increased with age and was twice as high on days without school compared to school days; Screen time was significantly higher among children whose parents had the lowest levels of education; this difference was observed from a very young age (preschool) and persisted as the children grew older; Children’s screen time did not differ depending on whether they attended school in rural or urban areas; 53% of children aged 3–5 spent an average of more than one hour per day in front of screens (62% on days without school); 35% of children aged 6–8 and 55% of children aged 9–11 (in elementary school) spent an average of more than 2 hours per day in front of screens (51% and 70% on days without school); Television was the primary screen used by children aged 3–11; despite an increase in time spent on video game consoles and smartphones with age, television remained the most-watched screen through fifth grade; The types of screens used differed by gender: boys were more likely to play video games (at all ages) than girls, while girls used smartphones more than boys starting at age 9 (as well as accessing social media starting at age 6); 7% of children aged 3–5, 14% of children aged 6–8, and 29% of children aged 9–11 had a screen available in their bedroom; furthermore, 27% of 10-year-olds and 46% of 11-year-olds (in elementary school) had their own smartphone; To the parents’ knowledge, 7% of children aged 6–8 and 25% of children aged 9–11 (in elementary school) had access to social media; Regarding parental monitoring, nearly 9 out of 10 parents reported “always” or “often” limiting their child’s screen time; however, regarding the content viewed by their children, only 52% of parents of children aged 3–5, 45% of parents of children aged 6–8, and 36% of parents of children aged 9 and older reported limiting it “often.”

Author(s): El Haddad Maria, Monnier-Besnard Stéphanie, Motreff Yvon, Decio Valentina, Richard Jean-Baptiste, Regnault Nolwenn, Verdot Charlotte

Publishing year: 2025

Pages: 17 p.

Collection: Studies and Surveys

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