With the rise of the technological age, more and more children are becoming exposed to smartphones and tablets. With these devices becoming a prominent ‘tool’ in entertaining the family not just with its being portable and compact, but also with its easy-to-use interface. The age range of young smartphone users is getting lower and lower by the year. Because of this, red flags have been raised by parents with regards to the exposure of toddlers to these devices. Though there is no definitive proof of smartphones relating to a decrease in toddler development, it could prove to be difficult for parents to deal with problematic children in the future.
Familiar scares
It wasn’t too long ago when mobile phones and watching too much television were deemed to be dangerous when exposed to young minds. Smartphones, being comparable to a relatively small computer, can be used by children to gain access to watching videos and movies, playing apps and games, and interacting with the Internet. Educational videos have also become a hit online where parents can look for a channel that hosts a myriad of child-friendly shows that can educate their children through watching different episodes on counting numbers, learning the alphabet, differentiating colours, and much more.
How can smart devices affect other areas of growth?
For better or for worse, the use of tablets is considered nowadays as an appealing gadget for adults and children alike. Child development experts are on the fence about leaving children to watch tablets for entertainment, as though it might distract the child for an indefinite number of hours, it is also preventing the child from play time and traditional learning practices. Like its comparison to TV back in the day, watching tablets is revealed to lessen the interaction between parent and child which could, in theory, have an impact on language development growth.
Leaving a growing mind to wander on the screen instead of the chance to participate in more enriching activities such as drawing, exploring, and interacting with peers and grown-ups could make the transition difficult for them to move away from a smart device once they must deal with being a part of a community or a classroom.
The verdict
As much as mobile game companies and the production of child-friendly entertainment online is concerned, there is a reason why these services are a hit for growing kids. Apps specifically design their platforms to have heightened visuals and colours to give toddlers the familiar satisfaction of accomplishing a similar task. App developers take note of toddlers playing with physical toys that develop hand-to-eye coordination, spatial awareness, and learning skill sets that are integral to a child’s growth.
As with anything, moderation is crucial for any the kind of recreational activity. Though children are attracted to the appeal of the smartphone as a cool toy, it’s still the parent’s responsibility to make sure that they learn self-control, whether it be using their tablet or playing with a block of clay.
