The Technological Explosion

With the release of so many toys and videos in today's consumer market that claim to have educational and developmental qualities for children, consumers should do some research before accepting toy manufacturers claims. A little research can reveal a lot about a products potential educational and developmental benefits as well as whether it is age appropriate for a child.

Do not be surprised that even some of the television programs that your children watch as well as the numerous DVD's and video games, known as "screen media," are not educational at all but tend to only mesmerize or what is said in more modern terms, cause children to "zone out" rather than educate them. For some time now we have been experiencing great technological advances. Interestingly enough, as electronic technology advances the age of children using this technology has dropped considerably. Research reveals that the use of consumer electronics among children reaches all the way down to infancy. This is not a bad thing per se, but developmental science suggests that children from infancy to two years of age are most vulnerable to negative effects such as aggressive behavior, various fears or phobias as well as sleep disturbances due to exposure to various screen media.

Parents should keep in mind that critical brain connections are produced in children from zero to six years of age. During this age parents and caregivers should provide the necessary interaction through play to optimize the brains development. Because screen media does not provide this, researchers state that the risks of exposing children from infancy to two, to screen media far outweigh the benefits and so recommend parents and caregivers against its use. For children from age two to six, the use of screen media can be used but should be limited to one to two hours a day. However, parents and caregivers should keep a close watch for any negative behavioral reactions that their child may begin to develop.

The benefits of educational play during a child’s early years can provide the stimulation and experiences that create a foundation of learning and growing. As more parents grasp the idea of educational play as well as increased personal interaction with their children, we will all enjoy the benefits. It is much wiser and cost effective to invest into a child’s life today than to address the problems that could have possibly been avoided later in life