Digital Beginnings: The Cognitive and Creative Consequences of Screen Time in Early Childhood

This narrative study explores the lived experiences of parents and early childhood educators concerning the influence of screen time on toddlers’ memory and creativity. Through storytelling and first-hand accounts, the research captures the nuances of digital exposure in the formative years of children. The study aims to humanize the data and paint a holistic picture of how digital media intersects with imagination, memory, and early learning. This study comprise of 12 parents and three playschool teachers. The narratives reveal a delicate balance where screens act as both enablers and inhibitors shaping young minds in complex ways. The narratives revealed that excessive screen time significantly influenced toddlers’ cognitive learning abilities, particularly in the areas of memory and recall. Parents and educators often described children as quick to pick up facts from videos or apps, but struggling with everyday remembering tasks