Occupational therapist Linette Labuschagne shares some meaningful ways parents can incorporate technology without negatively affecting their children’s development.
One in five children spend at least seven hours a day using phones and tablets, according to a 2025 report by the BBC.
From the moment children are able to hold a phone and see something on a screen, many are introduced to gadgets. Today, it is common to see children using tablets and phones for a variety of reasons, whether it is to do homework, play games or watch YouTube videos.
While technology has its benefits, occupational therapist Linette Labuschagne says she has noticed a shift in children’s development over the years.
According to Labuschagne, who has been an occupational therapist for more than two decades, this shift cannot be blamed on technology alone. She says changes in children’s environments, including safety concerns, have also played a role.
Labuschagne explains that as parents became increasingly concerned about their children’s safety outdoors, more children began spending time indoors. This, in turn, created a need for ways to keep them occupied.
“And now how do you keep them busy indoors? Now we give a gadget or a device,” she says.
How overusing gadgets can affect children’s development
The occupational therapist says one of the biggest concerns is the impact this can have on children’s imagination and developmental milestones.
“I’ve seen a downward trend with developmental milestones as well, because kids don’t need to go and find something to keep them busy. They don’t need to use their imaginations as much anymore because they have a screen that gives them everything,” she says.
Labuschagne explains that when children listen to stories or play creatively, they have to use their imaginations to create pictures and scenarios in their minds. Screens, however, often provide those images and experiences for them.
“So they don’t have to listen to the story and think of, oh, that’s what the character looks like. And this is what’s happening in the playground when the story is happening. It’s given to them already with the screen,” she says.
Health experts say gross motor skills have also been affected in kids who overuse gadgets without much physical activity.
How to use technology to enhance development in children
Labuschagne stresses that technology itself is not necessarily the problem. Instead, she says parents need to be intentional about how children use their devices and what they are being exposed to.
“There are really good games and apps we can use to make it more friendly and to help them develop more,” she says.
The occupational therapist says parents should also be intentional about doing exercises that will help their children develop gross motor skills.
For children who already experience developmental challenges, Labuschagne says parents should consider what children are watching and whether the content is helping them develop rather than simply using a device as a way to keep them occupied.
“The World Health Organisation has all those screen time limits. My kids are 10 and eight at the moment. So the 10-year-old is allowed one and a half hour per day, which is quite a lot, it feels to me,” she says.
However, she believes that the quality of screen time is just as important as the amount of time children spend on their devices.
Labuschagne adds that parents should establish clear boundaries around screen use and remain consistent with those limits.
“Limits and consistency with the limits as well is very, very important with kids with delays and special needs as well,” she says.
Another concern she raises is the impact excessive gadget use can have on children’s sleep.
She also warns that screen use can affect the way children concentrate, with some forms of screen activity giving the appearance of focus without requiring the same level of active participation.
For Labuschagne, the answer is not necessarily to completely remove technology from children’s lives, but to ensure that it is used meaningfully and alongside activities that support their overall development.
Parents can encourage children to balance screen time with activities that build their fine and gross motor skills, stimulate their imagination and allow them to actively engage with the world around them.
For children experiencing developmental delays, she says parents should also work closely with professionals and use recommended activities consistently at home.
With intentional use, appropriate limits and meaningful content, technology can be incorporated into children’s lives without replacing the real-world experiences they need to grow and develop.
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