We’ve all read multiple studies that prove how too much screen time can affect kids’ brain development. But how can you explain to your kids how their brain works and why decisions like screen time can affect their future?

Here’s where you can enjoy YouTube’s educational side. Below, you’ll find the Out Think Approved videos that teach how their brain works and give families concrete reasons for why you need to spark dialogues and set limits.

“The Brain for Kids – What is the brain and how does it work?”

Channel: Smile and Learn – English

Ages: Young – Elementary

Content: This video offers a concise and nicely visualized breakdown of the brain’s functions, anatomy, and how it affects our whole body. You can also use it for younger kids who haven’t started school yet. They may not grasp the entire video, but these images make it easy to understand, and it’s a good one to repeat as needed. It’s the kind of video (like this article!) to keep bookmarked for when they ask questions, and it is excellent for repeat viewings until they need more details.

Dialogue: When we say that too much [YouTube, TV, cartoons] affects your brain, we need to be careful while your brain grows, and this is why. Your brain is the boss of every other system in your body, and if we aren’t careful about what we watch and for how long, then your brain may not make the best choices when it signals the rest of your body about what to do.

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“Use Your Brain!” by SciShow Kids

Channel: SciShow Kids!

Ages: Young to Elementary

Content: Similar to above, but gets into how to help and use your brain effectively, too.

Dialogue: Sometimes, the dialogue above doesn’t go far enough for kids, and they want to learn more. After watching this video, you can discuss why protecting your brain and its development is crucial. Your instincts, involuntary body functions like breathing, and your ability to make good choices depend on your brain developing in the healthiest way.

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“The Nervous System, Part 1: Crash Course Anatomy & Physiology #8“

Channel: Crash Course

Ages: Middle & High School

Content: This is meant for students studying at the AP levels, and it goes into excellent detail on what your nervous system does and why. If your child loves to learn in more depth, or you, like me, run out of information that you know, Crash Course is an excellent source! Even more than the specific anatomy and physiology involved, Hank Green and Crash Course are incredible at finding the right metaphors to explain complex concepts.

Dialogue: The nervous system, and thus the brain, your central nervous system, controls many important functions of our body and health. Our body’s “mission control” has three principal functions: sensory input, integration, and motor output. These three steps help us process when a spider crawls on our skin and analyze the situation before swatting it away.

You can see in this video how cells and neurons work together, using their processes and functions, and what they do to your body. These are under the most ideal of circumstances, including healthy brain development over the first twenty-six years of your life.

Caregiver Note: Young adults don’t fully develop their ability for long-term thinking until the last stages of their brain development. This means it’s hard to understand and process how what you do over many days/weeks/months/years can directly affect you as an adult. That’s why this dialogue is ongoing and can be tied directly to any guardrails you set up around technology.

For instance, you aren’t telling them to stop playing now just because you know what’s best for them; it’s part of your job as a parent to help them set good habits so their brain can develop in a healthy way. Maybe the older your child gets, the more they assert their independence and say they can make their own decisions. Keep reminding them that that is true, and that you love their independence, but it’s still your job as their parent to instill healthy habits for healthy brain development. If you use that reasoning consistently when they ask about their time limits, you can tie it back to these videos and past dialogues.

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Bonus! “How to Free Yourself From Screen Addiction – Dr K Healthy Gamer”

Channel: Dr K Healthy Gamer on Chris Williamson’s show

Ages: Mature Middle & High School

Content: Dr. Alok Kanojia (Dr. K) is a psychiatrist, Harvard Medical School instructor, co-founder of HealthyGamerGG, Twitch streamer, and YouTuber. He discusses the psychiatric need for games, why people play and are attracted to certain games, and how playing games affects people’s reality.

Dialogue: Dr K’s interview shares a number of talking points for families as children and their needs mature. Here’s just one:

Discuss with your children how the “triumph” of video games is hard to replicate in real life. We crave The Hero’s Journey (Luke Skywalker, Aang), but you don’t experience as big a triumph in real life as in video games, and reality can never match the speed of your gaming victories. Bring that awareness to their prefrontal cortex, which might (over time) help their ability to understand that games are heightened reality and not to seek that victory rush every time they “touch grass,” or reality will inevitably be disappointing. Find the places where they feel that rush of achievement (off-road biking, live performance, etc) and help them learn how to balance their time and expectations while you coach from the side.

Follow along with a notebook; you’ll learn actionable strategies for healthy brain development from Dr. K, and don’t blame me if you end up binging his entire channel. He also has guides and inexpensive group coaching available on his website.

Supplementary material:

• Brainchild on Netflix
• “The Brain for Kids | Learn cool facts about the human brain,” uploaded by Learn Bright

Read more: Popular Streamer Ninja Uses His Platform to Encourage Cancer Checkups (dialogue about cancer within)

Photo/Image Credit: Cindy Marie Jenkins, Canva, & YouTube

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Sources:

• Group, Taylor & Francis, “Children’s brains shaped by their time on tech devices, research to-date shows,” Science News, 17 November 2023, https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/11/231117102443.htm .