With the growing popularity of smart toys in the market, parents are slowly passing on some responsibilities to these high-tech devices. Experts claim that mothers and fathers are not discouraged to buy these toys for their kids but they should learn how to balance their roles as parents.
According to The Guardian, children nowadays enjoy a variety of toys which they can enjoy and even interact with. Some even bring their favorite characters to life with the aid of technology.
One example for this is the Hello Barbie doll, a $75 toy which can converse with kids until they get tired of talking. Another toy is the robot called Kido which teaches toddlers using colored cubes.
In addition, PC Mag noted that there are also new inventions like high chairs with "intelligent feeding trays" which can tell how much food a child needs and a measuring wall which can instantly tell a kid's height. In the coming years. the same report said that holograms may soon dominate the toy market for kids.
In line with this, Erikson Institute Technology in Early Childhood Center director Chip Donohue said that these things are new for parents. "Young children are born into a digital world that we as their parents and educators were not. Play evolves, and modern technology can help a child feel more empowered, capable and competent," he added.
These smart toys help children learn in a faster and more efficient way and can even assist in some of their medical needs. However, Donohue expressed concern that technology will be more favored by parents instead of limiting screen times for kids.
"The research is pretty clear that parent-child interaction helps early literacy and school readiness," he added. "In the end, we need to empower parents and help them understand that they should not hand off those responsibilities to a device."
