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My girls -- especially my middle one -- spend lots of time talking to their toys, having elaborate imaginary conversations in which they make up both sides of t

My girls -- especially my middle one -- spend lots of time talking to their toys, having elaborate imaginary conversations in which they make up both sides of the exchange. As far as I know, children in all cultures have done this with dolls since time immemorial, which indicates to me that the behavior somehow developmentally important. Do we really want to short-circuit that with a gadget? I think the effort to use technology -- screens, talking toys -- to relieve children of boredom, and by "boredom" I mean "stretches of time in which they're forced to come up with creative ways to entertain themselves and each other", is one of the most regrettable features of modern life.

vinceguidry 11y ago
I wouldn't idealize the past too much. I had stuffed animals that I played with too as a kid, and readily gave them up for video games and consider myself better off for it. I'd put Minecraft up against "playing outside" in terms of social development any day. Wish I'd had it when I was 6. Interacting with technology as a child means you're exposed to someone else's vision and imagination. It does not destroy your own. In this regard, books should be seen as just as bad, but they're not. I don't think people are quite rational when they discuss this subject.
- nsxwolf 11y ago
  I think you both have a valid point, and both things are valuable - time with your imagination and time with other's imaginations. We try to moderate our kids' use of iPad and video games, and got them into a routine where they spend roughly equal time playing with their toys and arts and crafts and playing outside. They seem to self regulate, and we're pretty happy with how things are going. We're not screens-paranoids, but we have noticed technology use tends to become excessive when unregulated. When your kid wants to watch hours of toy videos on YouTube instead of playing with real toys, a correction is in order.

vinceguidry 11y ago

I wouldn't idealize the past too much. I had stuffed animals that I played with too as a kid, and readily gave them up for video games and consider myself better off for it. I'd put Minecraft up against "playing outside" in terms of social development any day. Wish I'd had it when I was 6. Interacting with technology as a child means you're exposed to someone else's vision and imagination. It does not destroy your own. In this regard, books should be seen as just as bad, but they're not. I don't think people are quite rational when they discuss this subject.

nsxwolf 11y ago
I think you both have a valid point, and both things are valuable - time with your imagination and time with other's imaginations. We try to moderate our kids' use of iPad and video games, and got them into a routine where they spend roughly equal time playing with their toys and arts and crafts and playing outside. They seem to self regulate, and we're pretty happy with how things are going. We're not screens-paranoids, but we have noticed technology use tends to become excessive when unregulated. When your kid wants to watch hours of toy videos on YouTube instead of playing with real toys, a correction is in order.