Screens & Attention

RentToRead Blog

What the actual research says about screens

19 articles in Screens & Attention
A child plays with large, colorful building blocks on the floor.
Screens & Attention4 min read

Does Having the TV On in the Background Really Affect My Child's Play and Reading?

The TV is on for the evening news, or someone's cricket match, or just because the house feels...

0–3 yrs3–5 yrs
A toddler sits in an airplane seat near a window.
Reading Habits4 min read

Books or a Tablet for a Long Train or Flight With Kids? What Actually Helps

You've packed two picture books, a colouring set, and a small bag of snacks for the six-hour train...

3–5 yrs6–8 yrs9–12 yrs
A young boy playing a football video game on a handheld games console.
Screens & Attention3 min read

Does Gaming Really Wreck a Child's Attention Span? What the Research Actually Says

The scene repeats in a lot of houses: your child has been on the tablet for forty minutes,...

3–5 yrs6–8 yrs9–12 yrs
A girl lying on a bed reading a book indoors, a calm bedtime-like scene
Reading Habits4 min read

Stuck Indoors on a High-AQI Day? Turning Smog-Season Confinement Into Reading Time Instead of More Screens

The air outside has gone that familiar grey-brown again, the park is off-limits for the week, and your...

0–3 yrs3–5 yrs6–8 yrs9–12 yrs
Two boys sitting together outdoors, both looking closely at a phone screen.
Screens & Attention3 min read

My Preteen Is Glued to Reels — Can They Even Focus on a Book Anymore?

She used to read for an hour straight. Now she opens a book, gets through two pages, and...

9–12 yrs
A young girl sitting on the floor reading a picture book
Screens & Attention4 min read

My Child Gets Distracted After Two Pages — Is That Attention Span Normal?

Two pages in, and your child is up — chasing the dog, demanding a snack, suddenly fascinated by...

0–3 yrs3–5 yrs6–8 yrs
A young child's hands using a tablet computer on a wooden table
Screens & Attention5 min read

Does Labeling an App ‘Educational’ Actually Make Screen Time Better for My Child's Reading?

You've drawn a line on screen time, and then your child asks for the reading app, or the...

3–5 yrs6–8 yrs9–12 yrs
A young child sitting at a wooden table, deeply absorbed in using a tablet, soft natural light on their face.
Screens & Attention5 min read

How Much Screen Time Is Too Much for My 7-Year-Old? What the Guidelines Actually Say

It's 4:40 on a Tuesday. Homework isn't done, dinner needs to start in theory about twenty minutes ago,...

3–5 yrs6–8 yrs
A young girl in a brown knit sweater lies on a bed scattered with books, caught mid-read in soft, warm light.
Screens & Attention4 min read

Does My Child's Tablet Before Bed Really Ruin Their Sleep? What the Research Says

It’s 9pm, the lights are dim, and the one thing that will actually get your child to lie...

3–5 yrs6–8 yrs9–12 yrs

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