Some preschoolers in home-based daycares spend as many as two hours a day in front a television, according to a study that was the focus of an Associated Press article last week.

Seventy-percent of the home daycares and 36 percent of the centers acknowledged that they allow children to watch TV, DVDs and videos on a daily basis.

Babies and toddlers up to the age of 2 shouldn't be watching any television, advised the American Academy of Pediatrics. Older children should have a daily limit of one to two hours.

The study, which surveyed 168 licensed child care programs in Michigan, Washington, Florida and Massachusetts, found that preschoolers in home-based day cares watch an average of 2.4 hours of TV. In comparison, those in centers spend about 24 minutes in front of the tube. The toddler average was 1.6 hours in home care and about 6 minutes in centers.

Instead of watching TV, children should spend their time being read to, playing outside, talking with other children and playing with blocks and other toys, advised Dr. Dimitri Christakis, a pediatrician at Children’s Hospital and Regional Medical Center in Seattle and a researcher at the University of Washington. Any time that a TV is on, kids don't talk as much and are less likely to interact with adults.

What do you think? Is it OK for daycare centers to let children watch TV? How much television do your kids watch on a daily basis?

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