85% Indian parents worry about kids spending excessive screen time during summer vacations: Survey

NEW DELHI: Ahead of the summer vacation, 85 cent parents are worried about kids spending excessive screen time during the break, a survey report commissioned by Amazon said on Tuesday. According to the survey conducted by Kantar for Amazon in March, over 90 per cent of parents surveyed believe kids become less active when spending more time on screen devices.

Also read | Lockdown: Children’s time online has increased and so have the risks

The majority felt that ideal screen time should be less than 2 hours. However, 69 per cent confirmed that their kids are spending more than 3 hours with screens every day. "Summer vacations mean a break from school, travelling, and extra play-time for kids. With plenty of spare time in hand during holidays, 85 per cent surveyed parents are worried about kids spending excessive screen time during the break," the report said. The survey covered around 750 parents with young kids (3-8 years) across 10 metro and non-metro cities of India.

According to the findings, almost 96 per cent of parents are searching for screen-free ideas to keep their kids engaged with learning and fun activities. The survey indicates that 82 per cent of parents are worried about keeping their kids engaged this summer. "Kids are curious to learn new things and want to have fun in the process. With more free time at hand during summer vacations, parents have a big task ahead of themselves to keep their kids engaged. Our survey indicates that parents are keen to limit screen time of kids with screen-free activities that can help them learn new skills and have fun at the same time," said Deepender Rana, executive managing director, insights division, Kantar.

Most of the parents want their kids to pick up skills such as English speaking (50 per cent); good morals and social manners (45 per cent); performing arts like dancing, singing and playing musical instruments (36 per cent); arts and crafts (32 per cent); and physical and outdoor activities (32 per cent), as per the survey.