18-06-2025
3 reasons why you should trade screen-time for cuddles with your little one
In the fast paced world of modern day parenting, screens can feel like a lifeline, especially when baby is fussy, restless, or wide-eyed at 3 am.
But stepping away from scrolling has surprising benefits for both you and your little one. Your voice, your expressions, and your undivided attention are powerful tools that shape your baby's brain, helping them feel safe, seen, and ready to learn.
Lizeth Kruger, Clinic Executive at Dis-Chem Baby City, shares into three major developmental concerns linked to screen time, how it affects your baby, and why it isn't a substitute for engagement.
Speech delay
When babies spend too much time in front of screens, whether it's cartoons or nursery rhymes, they miss out on essential face-to-face interactions that are crucial for language development. Babies learn to speak by hearing real voices, watching lips move, and receiving immediate feedback when they mimic or try to form words, something a screen simply can't provide.
Talking to your baby, even if they can't talk back yet, lays the foundation for communication. Narrating your day, singing songs, reading books, and using eye contact, gestures, and facial expressions all play a vital role in helping your baby learn language. These interactions not only support their language skills but also strengthen your bond. It also helps you better understand your baby's cues, laying the groundwork for a deeper emotional connection. Every conversation, no matter how small, supports your baby's development and deepens your connection.
Overstimulation
Screen content is designed to grab attention - flashing lights, rapid scene changes, loud music and bright colours. For a baby's developing nervous system, that kind of stimulation can easily become overwhelming. In contrast, real-world play moves at a slower, more natural pace. Soft toys, blocks and exploring textures allow your baby to engage on their own terms. This helps them learn to focus and regulate emotions, leading to fewer meltdowns and a more predictable, peaceful daily rhythm. For mums, that means less stress and more space to enjoy the quiet, meaningful moments of everyday life.
Read more | Winter care tips for your child's braided crown
Poor social skills
When babies spend too much time in front of screens, they miss out on essential opportunities for social learning, such as observing facial expressions, hearing tone of voice, and experiencing the natural back-and-forth of real-life interactions, all of which are crucial for developing emotional intelligence and forming social bonds.
In addition according to a UNICEF article Babies need humans not screens article, young children need their dose of boredom. It teaches them how to cope with frustration and control their impulses. If young children are constantly being stimulated by screens, they forget how to rely on themselves or others for entertainment.
Spending time with people, whether it's mum, siblings or other children helps build empathy and confidence. Simple games like peekaboo, pulling faces and responding to their cues teach your baby how relationships work. These moments also bring a lot of joy. Watching your baby smile, respond to your voice or reach out for a cuddle is not only developmentally important, but emotionally rewarding too. I would add a para about reading books and using educational toys to boost cognitive and emotional development 'Your presence, expressions and engagement are more powerful than any screen,' says Kruger. 'Just as your love shapes their early world, so does the care you provide by staying informed and proactive about their cognitive, emotional and social development, which are critical skills that every child needs in order to thrive at home and at school.'
