Examining differences in parent-reported screen time from school to summer in children: an observational cohort study

The purpose of this study was to (1) examine differences in child screen time from school to summer, and (2) assess how attending structured programming relates to child screen time during the summer in a diverse cohort of children. Parents completed daily time use diaries for their children (n = 1,032 children; 9.7 ± 1.8 years old; 33% Black; 50% girls) for 14 days at two timepoints: (1) during the school year (April/May) and (2) in the summer (July) for three years (2021–2023). Time use diaries collected parent-reported screen time and the child’s participation in structured programming (i.e., summer day camp). Screen time was measured as the total amount of time a child spent in front of a screen that day, including educational or school-related use. Mixed-effects models assessed differences in total daily screen time between school-year weekdays and summer weekdays, and across hours of structured programming attendance on summer weekdays by sex. Models were adjusted for age, ratio of poverty to income, social assistance usage, and parent education. Screen time was + 54.7 (95% CI: 51.3, 58) and + 44.5 (95% CI: 41.2, 47.8) minutes/day higher during summer compared to school year across boys and girls, respectively. On summer weekdays, for every additional hour of attendance in structured programming, children had an -8-minute (boys 95% CI: -6.8, -9.0; girls 95% CI: -7.1, -9.2) reduction in screen time. Children accumulated more screen time during the summer compared to the school year. However, structured programming during the summer may play a protective role in limiting child screen time, highlighting an avenue for interventions to reduce screen time during a vulnerable window for children’s health.