Engaging Preschoolers in Food Tasting and Movement Activities Using Mobile Applications

The ubiquity of mobile devices and their use in daily life create new paths for health promotion interventions, such as promoting healthy behaviors among families. 1 Pew Research Center. Mobile fact sheet. https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/fact-sheet/mobile/. Accessed February 24, 2022. Google Scholar ,2 Haibach-Beach PS Reid G Collier DH Motor Learning and Development. 2nd ed. Human Kinetics, 2018 Google Scholar The preschool years are an important stage of development when children begin displaying independence while still requiring guidance to help them develop healthy eating and physical activity (PA) behaviors. 3 McCloskey M Johnson SL Benz C et al. Parent perceptions of mobile device use among preschool-aged children in rural Head Start centers. J Nutr Educ Behav. 2018; 50 (e1): 83-89 Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (34) Google Scholar ,4 Johnson SL. Developmental and environmental influences on young children's vegetable preferences and consumption. Adv Nutr. 2016; 7: 220S-231S Crossref PubMed Scopus (92) Google Scholar At the same time, preschoolers are engaging with screens, with 98% of young children having access to digital devices and 42% owning a tablet. 5 Kalati AT Kim MS. What is the effect of touchscreen technology on young children's learning?: a systematic review. Educ Inf Technol. 2022; 27: 6893-6911 Crossref Scopus (8) Google Scholar The increase in the use of technology can pose both challenges and opportunities, particularly for parents who must define time limits and the type of media children access (ie, educational vs entertainment) while also balancing screentime with other activities, such as developing literacy skills (both reading and numeracy), engaging in play (active, dramatic, social, etc), and developing social-emotional skills, all of which are essential for healthy growth and development. Mobile applications (apps) can serve as tools that help parents positively engage with their children and assist them in developing skills needed for optimal development, including eating and movement skills. 6 Laranjeiro D. Development of game-based m-learning apps for preschoolers. Educ Sci. 2021; 11: 229 Crossref Scopus (8) Google Scholar Digital strategies, such as mobile apps, can substitute some of the time spent engaging in entertainment with education about foods and eating while also potentially replacing some sedentary screentime with active screentime, thus, moving children closer to respective recommendations.