India, June 5 -- Screens are now part of every childhood, but research continues to show that too much screen time can slow communication, attention, and daily living skills. A 2023 JAMA Pediatrics study found toddlers with more than an hour of daily screen exposures at age two struggled by age four. Outdoor play-even simple park time-helped offset these risks, especially for social skills.
As the International Day of Play approaches on June 11, global organizations are calling for balance. The World Economic Forum emphasizes that digital and outdoor play should be blended, not divided. UNICEF's 2026 campaign urges families and policymakers to "protect play, protect childhood", noting that safe play spaces are shrinking in many communities...