Playtimes HK Magazine September 2017 Issue | Page 44

I
t’s often said that our children are
‘digital natives’, growing up tech-
savvy in a world that is increasingly
digitally dependent. But in recent
years it seems that the age of entry into
the digital dimension has decreased,
and it is now perfectly normal for
toddlers – and even babies – to swipe
and tap away on screens with growing
dexterity. Our ever-easier-to-use
smartphones and tablets contain a
whole world of entertainment to keep
our children in their grip – games,
puzzles, art, stories, films, TV shows
and video-calls … It’s no wonder that if
you venture into most of our homes and
public places, chances are you’ll come
across many a mini-me staring intently
at a screen.
You might see these electronic
pacifiers as a welcome addition to the
childcare armoury – after all, toddlers,
by their very nature, can be noisy,
boisterous and inquisitive, and there
can’t be a harried parent in existence
who, on occasion, wouldn’t have sold
their soul for a wonder-gadget that
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would keep their whirling dervish of
a darling occupied for a few precious
moments. The to-do list could be
tackled, or an occasional lunch out or
coffee enjoyed without turning the café
into a makeshift playground or inciting
tuts and raised eyebrows from fellow
diners. You might even manage a trip
to the loo in peace! And surely, if the
app or game that is entertaining our
little ’uns has some sort of educational
element, everyone’s a winner?
Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem to
be that simple. As smartphones and
tablets are such a recent development,
no one can say with certainty what
their long-term effects on our children
will be. Although there is plenty of
research on how television can affect
children, as the new technology is
interactive and responsive, it may not
affect children in exactly the same way.
So far, while researchers have found
that touchscreen use may have some
positive effects – for example, it may
improve motor skills, coordination and
reaction times, it can be useful for
children with autism or ADHD, and it
may help early literacy in pre-schoolers
– other studies have found that too
much tech, too young, may have its
downsides. But what are the possible
downsides? And how much tech is
too much?
What’s the problem?
One of the main possible downsides
is that if children – especially very
young children – spend too much
time alone on gadgets, this could be
at the expense of other, potentially
richer, experiences that are essential
for their development. Structured
and unstructured play, exploring their
environment, using motor skills to play
with toys and socialising with other
children and grown-ups are all part of
a child’s ‘work’, and they are especially
important in the early years as they help
to build the neural networks that act as
the foundations for later brain function.
Most of these experiences can’t be
replicated on a touchscreen, although
some can be simulated, but often