The Education Department will train families to reduce screen time in early childhood

PalmThe Balearic Ministry of Education will develop training initiatives aimed at families with the goal of limiting screen time during early childhood. This decision comes after the publication of a UIB study that concludes that 91.6% of children between zero and six years old in the Balearic Islands make excessive use of digital devices, often before their first birthday. The report, entitled Analysis of screen use in children aged 0 to 6 years in the Balearic IslandsThis study was prepared at the request of the Government.

The research examines digital habits at very young ages and focuses on the risks arising from prolonged and premature exposure to electronic devices. The study is based on responses from 8,991 families—primarily mothers from middle or upper socioeconomic backgrounds—and 15 focus groups. The data indicate that 95.8% of households have an internet connection and that 86.6% of families acknowledge lacking the necessary tools, strategies, and training to guide their children in screen use. Television and mobile phones are the most prevalent devices in homes, with percentages of 96% and 94.9%, respectively.

According to the study, 91.6% of families report having detected excessive screen use by their children, in many cases before their first birthday. In these early stages, devices are often used as "calming tools" or strategies to soothe them. The report's authors warn that this overexposure can cause negative effects such as attention problems, delayed language acquisition, emotional difficulties, and disruptions in sleep and eating habits. The most common times for screen use are before school, during or after meals, and before bed, for purposes ranging from entertainment to managing complex situations. One of the study's authors, Bartomeu Mut, Professor of Applied Pedagogy and Educational Psychology at the University of the Balearic Islands (UIB), has warned that screens often function as "the great peacemaker," used to regulate children's emotions. "Early childhood is a particularly sensitive stage, and it's necessary to take measures to reduce the use or overuse of screens. It's not a technological issue, but one of child development," she pointed out. Mut argued that this is a public health and education challenge that must be addressed through support, not by blaming families. "Preventive policies, training, and real alternatives are needed. Children's digital well-being is a collective responsibility," she added.

Mobile-free spaces

In this context, the Minister of Education and Universities, Antoni Vera, has announced that his department will soon launch a campaign to promote "mobile-free spaces" in educational settings for children aged zero to six. The initiative will include placing posters in schools and providing information in healthcare facilities. "This awareness campaign will also be carried out in pediatric units at healthcare centers so that families are aware that mobile phone use among children is very harmful," he explained. Vera emphasized that protecting early childhood must be a shared responsibility among institutions, schools, professionals, and families, and argued that recommendations to restrict the use of mobile devices in these spaces will help reduce children's exposure to screens.

Looking ahead to the next school year, the Regional Ministry of Education plans to launch specific training programs for the families of students in the fifth and sixth grades of primary school and the first and second years of secondary school (ESO), with the aim of promoting a more conscious and healthy use of technology within the family. The Rector of the University of the Balearic Islands (UIB), Jaume Carot, emphasized the role of university research in providing solid data to a debate he described as "especially sensitive." "At the UIB, when we address issues that affect society, we don't offer opinions; we work with data and scientific evidence. We are not pundits," he asserted.