approx. 4 min read
The 3-6-9-12 rule refers to age-appropriate screen time for your child.
But what actually happens in the brains of children aged 0 to 12? You'll find out here how screen time affects it and how you can best support your child's development!
0 - 3 years
Between 0 and 3 years, the number of synapses (the points where two nerve cells connect) in the brain increases rapidly. To support this development, it is important that your child experiences their environment with all their senses. This ensures that the information they take in is stored sustainably and intensively and that important connections in the brain can form. Activities such as crawling, climbing, and walking also contribute to this.
So, what happens when your child sits in front of a screen at this age?
Your child often remains in the same position for a long time. They don't try themselves out or use all their senses, but only their hearing and vision.
3-6-9-12 advice
Between 0 and 3 years, your child should not spend any time in front of a screen. Instead, think about offline activities and let them discover the world around them.
3 - 6 years
Between 3 and 6 years, your child's frontal lobe grows. It is responsible for thinking, planning, and attention, for example. Your child is now in the magical phase. This means that in a child's imagination, anything is possible at this time, whether witches, monsters, or being pulled through the drain by the bathtub. For your child, the imagination is real.
So, what happens when your child sits in front of a screen at this age?
Children react very intensely to what they perceive during this stage of their lives. They cannot distinguish between reality and fiction. Often, they may react with strong emotions to what they see, for example in movies. This is because it feels real to them.
3-6-9-12 advice
Set rules regarding the use of media. For example, you can agree to always watch TV together. Most importantly, you should talk about what you have seen, so you help your child process it. At this age, children are particularly curious, so this stage of life is therefore ideal for learning how to tell time, for example. This is best done with our specially developed analog children's clock Anio 3.
6 - 9 years
Between 6 and 9 years, your child reaches a new stage of intellectual maturity. They can now concentrate better and learn more easily. Their judgment is also becoming more developed. This makes challenges more exciting.
So, what happens when your child sits in front of a screen at this age?
Many games or apps contain hidden mechanisms that specifically target the brain's reward center. Perhaps you yourself have noticed that you completely lost track of time while surfing or playing. During this stage of life, it can be particularly difficult for your child to step away from the screen, especially if their ambition has been piqued, for example by a game.
3-6-9-12 advice
Limit screen time and look at the content your child consumes. Inform your child about possible dangers. Your child should not use a smartphone at this age yet. If you want to give them the opportunity for safe communication, we recommend the Anio 5.
9 - 12 years
Between 9 and 12 years, self-awareness develops significantly. Your child now understands that everyone has their own opinion. During this time, your child looks for ideals by which they can form an opinion and with which they want to identify.
So, what happens when your child sits in front of a screen at this age?
During this phase, your child may easily be influenced by content. They are looking for role models, often in the media.
3-6-9-12 advice
Teach your child how to behave properly in the digital world. Inform them about possible dangers and set some rules together with them. At this age, it is important that you find a compromise that is acceptable to both you and your child. A great way to introduce them playfully to the online world is our card game "50 Ideas for Mobile Heroes".
Do you have any questions? Then feel free to stop by here by.
Your Anio Team!
