The impact of digital media on play activity in preschool children: A psychological study

In the context of intensive mediatization of childhood, children’s consumption of digital media from an early age has become a widespread phenomenon, causing concern among parents and educators. This study focused on analyzing the intensity of digital media consumption as a factor potentially leading to negative changes in play activities and social interactions among preschool children. The study involved over 500 children and their parents. The results indicate that prolonged screen time is associated with characteristics such as lack of emotional attachment to toys, reliance on media trends when selecting toys, and rapid loss of interest in them. However, the assumption that children’s lack of familiarity with current media narratives leads to peer rejection or inability to participate in joint play based on animated films or digital games was not supported.