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Kids today are practically inseparable from their screens, a reality that has long concerned parents and experts. But while the detrimental impact of excessive screen time on children's vision, posture, and social development is already well documented, a new study now adds another layer of concern: potential harm to their motor skills.
The fine motor skills crucial for everyday tasks—like holding a pencil, tying shoes, or even stacking blocks—are being affected by excessive screen use. What’s behind this new concern, and how can we help kids get back on track? Click through this gallery to learn more.
Children today are constantly surrounded by screens, a reality that has alarmed parents and experts. This concern is justified: overwhelming evidence points to the negative impact of excessive screen time on children's vision, posture, and social skills.
A 2023 study published in the journal JAMA Pediatrics revealed that toddlers who spent one to four hours a day on screens at age one were up to three times more likely to exhibit developmental delays in communication and problem-solving by age two.
A recent analysis of the 2018-2020 National Survey of Children's Health found that a significant portion of young Americans spend excessive time on screens: 70.3% of preschoolers (ages 0-5) and 80.2% of children and adolescents (ages 6-17).
This excessive screen time was linked to an increased risk of behavioral problems, developmental delays, speech disorders, learning disabilities, autism spectrum disorders (ASD), and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
Recently, educators have begun to observe another troubling trend. Amy Hornbeck, an instructional coach at Beverly City Public Schools in New Jersey, says she can immediately tell something has changed as soon as her students enter the classroom.
She pointed out that children once arrived at school with pockets full of treasures from their outdoor adventures. Now, however, their eyes are fixed on screens.
What’s even more troubling, Hornbeck began to notice a clear link between this shift and children’s struggles with tasks they should be able to do with minimal support—like zipping their coats, turning the pages of a book, or even holding a spoon correctly.
Hornbeck’s observations are supported by other educators. A recent survey by Education Week found that a striking 77% of teachers are noticing challenges among young students when it comes to handling basic tools like pencils, pens, and scissors.
Similarly, 69% of educators reported an increase in difficulties with fine motor skills, such as tying shoes, compared to five years prior.
Hornbeck describes how students struggle with even a simple task like stacking blocks. "It’s as if they’ve never seen a block before," she says, noting how kids fumble when trying to copy the actions educators just demonstrated.
Experts warn that today’s children are losing essential fine motor skills—the precise movements required for tasks like tying shoelaces, writing, and building—due to a mix of factors, including increased screen time, habit changes, and shifts in childhood activities.
The pandemic is often cited as a key reason why we saw a significant increase in screen time among children, particularly those in their critical developmental years during the lockdowns.
A study of more than 250 babies born during the first year of the pandemic found that by six months old they scored lower on fine motor skills tests compared to babies born before the pandemic.
Lead study author and NYU Grossman School of Medicine professor Lauren Shuffrey acknowledges the challenge of pinpointing whether the differences in fine motor skills result from the increased prenatal stress mothers faced during the pandemic, or the unique environmental factors that influenced these babies' early lives.
Staying at home with working parents often led to increased screen time for children of all ages, a significant factor in delayed fine motor skill development.
However, Shuffrey recognizes that parents faced unprecedented challenges in balancing work and childcare during the pandemic. "Parents did what they had to do under less-than-ideal circumstances," she says.
Steven Barnett, co-director of the National Institute for Early Education Research at Rutgers University, argues that this decline in fine motor skills predates the pandemic. "It’s a long time coming," he says, suggesting that the pandemic may have exacerbated an existing problem.
While experts recognize the educational value of digital activities like learning math or creating digital art, excessive screen time–whether we're talking phones, tablets, e-books, or TV–limits opportunities for children to engage in hands-on activities like crafting, drawing, and building.
These hands-on experiences are crucial for developing essential fine motor skills that are not acquired through screen-based interactions.
Experts also highlight a concerning decline in outdoor play, a vital component of both fine and gross motor skill development.
Children are missing out on essential experiences, like digging in the dirt, collecting flowers, and exploring their surroundings, observes Barnett.
Hornbeck points to the convenience-driven aspects of modern parenting as another factor contributing to the decline in fine motor skills.
While stretchy pants and prepackaged snacks offer convenience, they deprive children of valuable opportunities to practice essential skills like zipping, buttoning, and using utensils.
Hornbeck also points out a shift in children's toy preferences. Magnetic tiles, easily snapped together, have largely replaced traditional toys like puzzles and wooden blocks, which demand patience and precision to manipulate.
In a stark observation, Hornbeck noted that in three out of four classrooms she observed, not a single child visited the reading area during a three-hour period. "That’s a huge change," she says. "In the past that was not the case that nobody ever wanted to go to books."
The researcher identifies a clear link between excessive screen time and increased frustration with manual tasks, along with reduced focus in children. Although it may seem simple, turning the pages of a book helps develop coordination, focus, and attention to detail—skills essential for mastering tasks like zipping a coat or tying a shoelace.
Hornbeck encourages parents to find ways to challenge their children by incorporating fine motor activities into everyday tasks. Activities like cutting coupons or cooking together are great options.
Other activities that can help improve motor skills—while also offering the option of going outside—include collecting stones on the way to school, pouring drinks, and squeezing sponges.
She also highlights that simple, cost-effective tools like Play-Doh and a box of crayons can be equally effective.
Finally, she advises parents to acknowledge that these activities may be tough to compete with when screens are involved. You’ll face more resistance "if you turn off the TV and say, 'Now it’s time to read,'" Hornbeck explains. To avoid the struggle, try doing the activity first, and make sure the screen is off.
Sources: (National Geographic) (CNN) (National Library of Medicine)
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Kids today are practically inseparable from their screens, a reality that has long concerned parents and experts. But while the detrimental impact of excessive screen time on children's vision, posture, and social development is already well documented, a new study now adds another layer of concern: potential harm to their motor skills.
The fine motor skills crucial for everyday tasks—like holding a pencil, tying shoes, or even stacking blocks—are being affected by excessive screen use. What’s behind this new concern, and how can we help kids get back on track? Click through this gallery to learn more.