Young children speak with different accents after watching many movies and cartoons during the pandemic, it has emerged.

They mimic the voices of characters in movies and TV shows due to the long hours spent on screens amid Covid lockdowns, Ofsted reveals in a report today.

The education watchdog said the youngsters were suffering from speech and language delays as they had missed “stories, songs and conversations”.

Fewer have learned to use the toilet independently, meaning more children may not be ready for school by age four, while others struggle to put on coats and to blow his nose.

Meanwhile, some babies struggle to “respond to basic facial expressions.” They are “particularly anxious and unaccustomed to seeing different faces”.

The findings will rekindle fears about damage to children’s development from repeated lockdowns.

Ofsted today published reports on the impact of the pandemic on different educational settings, using evidence from 280 inspections and several focus groups.

Amanda Spielman, chief inspector of schools, said there has been “a lot of really good work” in the early years, schools and continuing education this term, but “persistent challenges” remain.

She said: ‘I am particularly worried about the development of young children, which if not addressed could potentially cause problems for primary schools down the line.’ In the first years, the observatory analyzed the inspections of 70 childminders and crèches between January and February.

The backgrounder says many providers have reported persistent delays in the speech and language progress of babies and children.

The report states: “For example, some have noticed that children have a limited vocabulary or lack the confidence to speak.

“Additionally, some babies had difficulty responding to basic facial expressions, which may be due to reduced contact and interaction with others during the pandemic.

The findings will rekindle fears about damage to children’s development from repeated lockdowns (file image)

“The children missed hearing stories, singing and having conversations.

“A provider commented that children seem to have spent more time on screens and have started speaking in accents and voices that resemble the material they have been watching.” Staff felt that wearing face coverings continued to have a ‘negative impact’ on young people’s language skills.

“Children over the age of two will have been surrounded by adults wearing masks their entire lives and therefore may not have seen lip movements or mouth shapes as regularly,” the report said.

The early childhood document highlights a “regression in children’s autonomy and self-care skills”.

He says: “For example, more children needed help putting on their coats and blowing their noses.

“A growing number of providers were concerned that fewer children had learned to use the toilet independently. This means that more children may not be ready for school by age four.

Caregivers and childminders also reported delays in babies’ physical development in terms of learning to crawl and walk.

Those starting in settings since the pandemic “have high levels of anxiety and need to get used to seeing different people.”

Last July, it was revealed that American children were watching British cartoon Peppa Pig so much that they were developing English accents.