When I was little, we played “grocery store” with a cardboard pop-up storefront. When my older kids were babies, we bought them the plastic play kitchen with the working cash register and microphone. This was their store front. But this is the era of the Internet. What are kids using for their storefronts now? I was humored and surprised to overhear my 4 year old playing cyber-store the other day. He lined his favorite ponies up in a row and told me to “click on” the one I wanted to buy, add it to my virtual shopping card, scan my “card” and he’d mail it off to me! He even told me I’d have to wait a few days for it to “go on clearance” for a better price. Is this a sign of the times?
When I was in high school, it was the lucky kid who had exposure to a computer at all. Now, it’s the rare kid who enters kindergarten without knowledge of how to use a computer mouse. Here are some fun toys geared toward technologically savvy kids:
- Kiddy Keyboard: These learning keyboards feature Winnie the Pooh and offer kids an easy tool to learn typing and keyboard navigation skills through color-coded keys.
- Kids Mouse: available in many designs including sesame street, blues clues and more, these fun kids’ mousse are larger and easier to learn to use. They have two buttons but no scroll wheel or side buttons to confuse a beginner.
- Cell Phone: Cell phones for kids range from the infant’s version where the goal is to imitate Mom, apparently, to the tween’s controlled Firefly Mobile Phone that offers parents a way to give their kids cell phone access with tight parental restrictions.
- The Pre-PC: There is no such thing as too young for a computer, these days. Infants and toddlers can use what is now dubbed as a “Pre-PC” – the computer before a real computer. Everyone is making them now. Barbie’s “Chat with me” online laptop is one of the more popular versions but they range from entertainment to edutainment.
- V.Smile and V.Smile Pocket: These are video gaming systems for tots. One connects to the television and the other is portable. For kids looking up to older siblings as they tote around their Gameboys, V.Smile provides educational games featuring popular children’s characters that are easy enough for ages 2 and up to use.
- Vcam Now: It wasn’t long ago that video cameras were something only successful adults could afford. Now teens and tweens are sporting their own Vcams that take videos with sound of friends and family. Many also have the option of taking digital pictures, bringing this technology home at an affordable rate and an easy to use method that appeal to the younger generation.
Are all of these techno-toys really necessary? Of course not! Are they fun? Absolutely! But they shouldn’t take the place of paper, crayons, and coloring books, playing catch in the yard, jumping rope or riding bikes. These are essence of childhood, not cell phones or pre-PCs. As with everything, moderation is the key.