Research indicates that too much screen time is affecting the psychological development of young children, with current recommendations suggesting that parents should limit screen time to no more than two hours per day. And that’s the absolute maximum.

The prevalence of electronic modes of communication, as well as work and play with screen-based devices and social networks such as Facebook, Whatsapp and Snapchat is concerning educators and parents alike.

The major concern is that children are no longer learning how to engage and socialise properly, face to face: the good old-fashioned way.

In less than a decade, the word ‘interactive’, which used to mean ‘communication between two or more’ has today, sadly, fallen into the realms of technology and it is, in effect, gnawing away at our son’s and daughter’s childhood.

Creative thinkers will be our next generation of leaders in whatever sphere. They will have the ability and the social tools to communicate their ideas successfully, and this issue needs to be addressed if we are to tap into our children’s inherent imagination and creative abilities.

Communication is at the heart of drama. It allows students to communicate with and understand others in new ways – perhaps more than any other art form.

Drama also provides training in a very practical way, allowing students to discuss, argue and, by its very nature, experience, situations in a way which no other subject can do.

Participation in drama sessions requires self-control and discipline that will serve the student well in all aspects of life.

Participation in drama sessions requires self-control and discipline that will serve the student well in all aspects of life

This will result in a more positive, confident self-image. Students learn how to work together, to cooperate, to contribute, and to listen to and accept the viewpoints and contributions of others. No art form is more truly collaborative. Drama is an important tool for preparing students to live and work in a world that is increasingly team-oriented.

Students attending drama sessions are also less likely to have difficulty in speaking in public when the need arises, and will be more persuasive in their communications, both written and oral, as they will be better able to put themselves into the shoes of others and relate to them.

The good news gets even better; studies carried out by Matt Buchanan of Harvard University show that drama may even reinforce the rest of the school curriculum. Since communication and empathy are central to drama, a student will be better able to understand and discuss problems.

The link between dramatic arts and subjects such as English, history, social studies, and related areas is obvious. For example, the study of literature would be impossible without drama.

One other marked area of improvement noted by parents of children attending drama is in written and spoken English. After all, a lesson learned through fun is never forgotten.

And, because drama is so practical, one can adopt Aristotle’s wisdom:“Tell me and I will forget. Show me and I will remember. Involve me… and I will understand.” Students grasp the language, because they ‘work’ the language in a way that words on a white board don’t always allow.

We all want the best for our children. We want them to be happy, successful and healthy.

We want them to be able to speak out for themselves, to say ‘yes’ when they mean yes and ‘no’ when they mean no. We want them to be active participants in whatever life has to offer.

Using technology as a convenient babysitter is an abuse of the benefits. To out put this in numerical perspective, if a child sits in front of a screen for an average of two hours per day over a 10-year period that amounts to a staggering 7,300 hours. Crazy.

Think back to our own childhood, before the obsessions of online games and social media and how creative we would have got with 7,300 odd hoursto spare.

We have the social responsibility to tap into and nurture our children’s inherent imagination and creativity, otherwise, we may be raising a generation of robots.

Alan Montanaro is principal at Helen O’Grady Drama Academy (Malta).