According to this study published by the DEPP, statistical service of the Ministry of Education, and relating to a panel of children educated in 2021-22, 45% of students in small kindergarten section have at least dedicated digital access (15% have their own tablet), and 75% look or play on screens.
One in two children (50%) looks “regularly” the screens. And one in ten (10%) plays “regularly”, according to the families interviewed.
Another observation of the study: this access varies according to the socio-demographic characteristics of the students and the level of diploma of mothers.
Children of unskilled workers are 21% to have a tablet, compared to 7% of children in executives or business leaders. The frequency of regular game is also three times higher in children of unskilled workers.
Children of the most qualified mothers (bac +4 or more) access screens less often: they are 85% never or almost never play, against 52% of children whose mother is not graduated. 6% of them have a tablet, compared to 30% for children of non -qualified mother.
The study also establishes a link with learning: playing regularly on the screens on school days is linked to lower scores in skills tests, especially in language, she says.
In detail, with equivalent socio-demographic characteristics, students who regularly play on screens on school days have scores in lower language 22 standard points, 14 points in mathematics and 12 points in transversal skills.
Those who regularly watch screens also have lower scores, but to a lesser extent.
When the use of screens is supervised, for example “with moments defined during the day and controlled content“, and completed by”other activities such as board games, reading times“, negative links with school performance is” considerably reduced “, underlines the study.
Conversely, when children play regularly out of school days, their scores are higher than those who never or almost never play (14 standard points for transversal skills, 13 points in math and 10 points in language).