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Babies Don’t Need Video Games
By Christina Quick | April 8, 2008
First there was Babytv, a 24-hour television channel for children under 3. Now toymakers are producing what I would call video games for infants.
Fisher Price’s Laugh and Learn Smart Bounce & Spin Pony, due to hit store shelves later this year, is a plastic ride-on toy that connects to the television and allows children as young as 12 months to interact with the screen. As the child bounces, video images appear on the TV and sound effects are heard. This encourages more bouncing and, presumably, more staring at the flashing screen. Think of it as Nintendo for the diaper set.
Is it just me, or is this a bit much? The American Academy of Pediatrics has warned parents for years that television is not good for toddlers. And studies have shown that children younger than 3 who regularly sit in front of the TV are more likely to have attention problems in elementary school. Yet the toy and entertainment industries seem intent on getting kids hooked on electronic devices the minute they can focus their young eyes on a screen.
The thing is, babies don’t need to interact with a television set. They need interaction with loving adults who are willing to talk, sing songs, play games, blow raspberries, finger paint and laugh with them. It’s how babies learn and grow, and there is simply no substitute for these early experiences.
For parents, this is just common sense. Of course, common sense doesn’t sell many toys.
Topics: Trends |
