Table of Contents

Preface

Introduction: Taming the Media in Young Children’s Lives

Chapter 1: Remote-Controlled Childhood: An Overview

Chapter 2: A Developmental Perspective on Remote-Controlled Childhood

Chapter 3: A Closer Look at Remote-Controlled Childhood: How Media Culture Affects Children

Chapter 4: Setting the Stage: Learn More About the Media in Young Children’s Lives

Chapter 5: Problem Solving With Children: How One Teacher Helped the Princesses and Princes Live Happily Ever After

Chapter 6: Helping Children Get Beyond Remote-Controlled Childhood: Guidelines for Practice

Chapter 7: Beyond Remote-Controlled Play: Helping Children Become Creative Players

Chapter 8: Addressing Negative Media Content: Violence, Sexualization, Commercialization, and More

Chapter 9: Beyond the Screen: Empowering Children to Take Action in the Real World

Chapter 10: Teachers and Families Working Together

Chapter 11: Community Building for Change: Helping Society Get Beyond Remote-Controlled Childhood

Conclusion: Beyond Remote-Controlled Childhood!

References

Resources

About the Author

Diane E. Levin, PhD, a professor of early childhood education at Wheelock College in Boston, advocates widely on issues related to children’s well-being and is the author or coauthor of six other books.

Reviews

"Never has it been more urgent for all who are responsible for the care, development, and education of young children, as well as for those involved in creating relevant legislation and regulations, to learn from Diane Levin’s extensive experience and research on media-related issues. This book includes recommendations and suggestions for how teachers and parents can best protect and promote the well-being of all our young children."



—Lilian Katz, Professor Emerita, University of Illinois



"Diane Levin offers wise and timely advice to early childhood teachers about how to help children get beyond the powerful and pervasive media messages that can lead to remote-controlled childhood."



—Stephanie Feeney, Professor Emerita, University of Hawaii at Manoa



"As one of the world’s premier experts on children and the media, Diane Levin understands how today’s media culture is impacting children. This book analyzes how all types of media—TV programs, videos, video games, websites, music, advertisements, apps—are affecting children’s lives, including what and how they learn from these experiences, and offers realistic suggestions to teachers and parents for what to do about it."



—Blakely Bundy, Executive Director, The Alliance for Early Childhood



"This book speaks to all who are concerned about the impact of media and screen exposure on young minds, bodies, and hearts. It is also an urgent call to action. If you are concerned about the media children see and hear, you must read this book!"



—Frank Baker, President, Media Literacy Clearinghouse



"If you care about what children learn in school, you should also care about what they absorb from the media. This book will help teachers and families work together to meet this critical twenty-first century challenge."



—Jane Katch, Teacher, Touchstone Community School, and Author, Under Deadman’s Skin: Discovering the Meaning of Children's Violent Play