Preschoolers and computer games
Kids are getting increasingly computer-savvy. Is that a good thing?
Allie, at age three, can already use a mouse to play her favourite online game, which involves building a human body.
“It astounds me that she can navigate at such a young age,” says her mom, Heather Coman. “I know she is reading words like ‘loading’ and ‘play.’” At the same time, Coman has set limits as to what Allie and her sister, Grace, six, can do online. “There is no social networking, and they don’t know how to do a Google search.”
Computers and the Internet are an indispensable part of modern life, and more and more programs are being developed with the youngest children in mind. Is that a good thing? Should we be allowing kids like Allie to log on?
It depends on the situation, says Diane Bales, a professor at the University of Georgia in Atlanta, who specializes in the use of digital technology in the education of young children. She says experts are increasingly taking the view that computer technology isn’t bad for young kids in and of itself. Children learn through play, whether they’re digging in the sand or mastering a puzzle online. But the computer shouldn’t replace time outside, says Bales, or playing with blocks or reading books.
That can be difficult because children tend to be fascinated with gadgets — hearing a disembodied voice on the phone or seeing a real person talking to you from a computer screen seems magical to them. That’s why Bales recommends that parents set limits on preschoolers’ computer time. (In general, experts recommend limiting screen time — computer, television and videos — to an hour or less a day for kids this age.)
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What do you think?
Tina35 says ....
I strongly believe that technology can be used to entertain and educate children of all ages, from toddlers to adolescents.
I have two kids, and they are both familiar with technology. The play video games and use basic software and applications of a laptop.
Lately they have been having lots of fun with iPhone and iPad apps, that help them learn things and have lots of fun.
I downloaded an application that is pretty cool and has some great music. It's called "the Hare and the Tortoise", and I think it is an ancient Greek myth, turned into an animated cartoon.
Check it out here:
goo.gl/bgeGH
@momstownca Ann-Marie (not verified) says ....
this brings up so much that I'm also concerned about, I wrote about the recent "broken iPad" youtube video recently and had a tone of variety in the comments both in disagreement and agreement - thanks for posting this, it's something we all to consider. Computers are not going away but we need to be mindful about the role they play in our kids lives.
http://momstown-moments.momstown.ca/node/373