Do Toys With Technology Harm Kids' Imaginations?
from the not-this-again dept
Well, it seems that yet another person is suddenly wondering if toys that have more gizmos and gadgets (and personality) than bland and boring toys from decades past will sap children of their imagination by taking all the creativity out of playing. Someone seems to make this suggestion every year or so, and it really seems to discount kids’ imaginations. I’m certainly not a child psychologist (and for those of you who are, feel free to chime in and tell me I’m wrong), but it seems to me that this is ridiculous. The whole point is that kids have incredibly strong imaginations and take whatever they’re given and make it more exciting. Giving them more only gives their imaginations more basic “building blocks” with which to power their imagination. Even the writer of this article is willing to admit that maybe he’s only bringing the issue up because he’s “jealous” of all the cool toys today’s kids have.
Comments on “Do Toys With Technology Harm Kids' Imaginations?”
I'm all for technology, but I don't whole heartedl
Last night I was watching Frontier House on PBS. The concept is that 3 families go out into the back hills of Montana and live like pioneers with the exception of being video taped. One of the kids said that having fewer distractions made him “… discover imagination.” He celebrated his 9th birthday and got a checkerboard which really excited him!
Giving them more [technology] only gives their imaginations more basic “building blocks” with which to power their imagination.
I guess the problem arises when the blocks themselves are more fun to look at than build with. I’m not saying technology and kids are a bad mix, but anything done to excess (which having shopped for presents for a 1 yr old I think I can say we may be doing) can have negative consequences.
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do not forget a lot of toys nowaday are made in country where child labour is alowed. $1 a week.
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Like anything else involving young children, the parents have the greatest impact on their kids, imaginations included. Stick them in front of a TV all day and you’ll get a dull, boring kid. Give them stuff, both high tech and not, that requires them to engage either their imagination, intellect, or both, and the kids will constantly amaze you.