We had a little debate in class regarding the better choice of toys for our children - electronic toys or the classic conventional toys that we have available in our local toy'r'us.
Personally, I am on the side that opposes electronic toys for children. You may go on and on about how just wonderfully beneficial these battery-operated toys are because they keep the children in touch with what's in and how these toys speak.interact with the children because they have buttons and when you press these buttons they speak.
I have always found that creepy.
I hated dolls from a very young age, weird I know.
Anyway, that's besides the point. The point I am trying to clarify here is, these electronic toys are not entirely beneficial to children after all because firstly, it's not flexible and it restricts the child to maximise his creativity to explore the toy in his own way.
For example, give the child a box of blocks and a teddy bear that speaks to him. With the box of blocks, the child will be able to build anything and everything that he wishes to - a house, a palace, a zoo, an army camp etc. However with the teddy bear, all the child will be able to do is well, press the buttons and listen to what the tiny, creepy, self-talking bear has to say.
Our classic, conventional toys promote co-operative play and social interaction amongst children. However most electronic toys, promote solitary play.
Also, electronic toys are restricting and are not child-initiated. They often come with a particular way to play them. Hence, these games are more often than always telling these children how to play them and not what to do with them. - Goes back to my point that it restricts the child's creativity and it also moulds the child to want to be spoon-fed all the time. The child that grows up with toys telling him how to play them, will grow wanting people to always direct him, to always tell him what to do. He will be someone that follows and never a person that leads.
Researchers have suggested that children who use more of electronic toys, turn out to be awfully addicted to video games etc as they grow up. These are the same people who are involved in school shootings in the USA. Alternatively, they could be the next Steve Jobs but :/
Most importantly, electronic toys don't last. When the battery packs are not changed, they might leak. Children being children, they will grab these toys and place them in their mouths which will then lead to a whole other matter.
So no guys, don't fill your child's play pen with electronic toys. Have a fair share of conventional & electronic toys for your child to explore with.
I don't even know why I churned out this post. Hopefully, in some way or another, it's useful to some :)
A'qilah Saiere.
I spoke to a sister yesterday whose 6 year old niece has just been diagnosed with brain tumour and right now, can't even utter a single word but scream in pain.
