The Relationship Between Children’s Screen Time and the Time They Spend Engaging in Play: an Exploratory Study

Introduction: Play is a critical daily occupation that facilitates children's learning of essential life skills. However, with the growing use of, and accessibility to, online-linked devices, children are engaging more and more in screen-time linked activities and less time in non-technology play. Therefore, it is crucial to understand the influence of children's screen-time use on their play patterns. This study aims to explore the relationship between school-age children's screen time and their engagement and participation in play occupations. Methods: Twenty-six pairs of parents and children were recruited to complete the Children's Play Scale (CPS), parent and child versions of the Children's Screen Time Use Report (CSTUR), and the Children's Perceptions of Their Play (CPTP). Data were analyzed using Spearman's rho correlations and linear regressions with bootstrapping. Results: Two regression models found that weekday social screen time accounted for 30.7% of the total variance (p = .002) of social play while weekend educational screen time, weekday interactive screen time, and weekday passive screen time together accounted for 55.6% of the total variance (p < .001) of active play. Conclusion: The study findings provide evidence that a relationship exists between school-aged children's screen time and play engagement and participation. Further research is recommended on this topic.