Abstract:

Today, various forms of information and communication technology are widely and increasingly present in children’s and family daily lives worldwide, especially mobile technologies such as smartphones and tablets. Even children of early age are very skilled in the use of ICT, especially the use of smartphones and tablets. The purpose of this study was to identify differences in the use and frequency of use of mobile devices in preschool children from the perspective of children and their parents. The study involved 30 preschool children and their parents, attending public early childhood setting in Croatia. The parents gave their written informed consent for their children's participation in the study. Data on the use of mobile devices by children were collected through interviews with children in their early childhood setting, and parents perspective on the use of mobile devices in their family was gained through questionnaire. The research results indicate that parents are not fully aware of their children's knowledge of the use of mobile devices, but they are aware of the importance of parental control and guidance of children for quality and adequate use of the same.

Keywords:

Mobile devices, preschool children, parents, online security.