08/10/2026
Pause before you press play...
Screens are part of everyday life, but what does thoughtful screen use look like for our youngest children?
The EYFS requirements in place from 1 September 2026 bring greater attention to screen use within early years provision.
Rather than simply thinking about how long children spend looking at a screen, consider why the technology is being used and what it is adding to children's experiences.
Could that experience be richer through:
🌳 exploring outdoors?
🗣️ talking with an adult or another child?
🧩 investigating and problem solving?
🎨 creating and making?
🏃 moving and being physically active?
📚 sharing stories together?
Digital technology can support early learning, but it should never become a substitute for the responsive relationships, conversation, movement, play and first-hand experiences that sit at the heart of early childhood.
Take a moment to reflect on how screens are currently used in your provision and whether they are genuinely enhancing children's experiences.
