So what baby learning apps does your baby like? Say what?? I glance at my 4-month-old son and back at the lady whose question took the wind from my sails. And so she repeats the question. My mouth ajar, I look around perplexed. Ummm… Yes, this is a question that a baby … [Read more...]
Baby Learning Apps: What You Really Need to Know
So what baby learning apps does your baby like? Say what?? I glance at my 4-month-old son and back at the lady whose question took the wind from my sails. And so she repeats the question. My mouth ajar, I look around perplexed. Ummm… Yes, this is a question that a baby health nurse recently … [Read more...]
A Simple Way to Stop Feeling Guilty About Your Child Using Technology
Techno-guilt. Do you suffer from it? I do. Sometimes I feel guilty about allowing my son to use the iPad (or watch TV). Yep, even as a children’s technology researcher I am sometimes plagued by this affliction. And I know I shouldn’t feel guilty but somehow I have bought into this guilt … [Read more...]
Interactive TV
Thanks to significant technological advancements, interactive children’s TV is now real. In 2012 Microsoft, in conjunction with Sesame Street released ‘Kinect Sesame Street TV’. Using the Kinect, the motion- and voice-sensing controller, young children can now interact with TV characters. For … [Read more...]
Educational TV: Does it Really Exist?
TV is still the most popular form of media that young children consume despite the advent of new technologies like the iPad and a range of techno-toys. However, TV has long been criticised for having a negative impact on children’s learning and development. Parents will be pleased (and relieved) to … [Read more...]
Why Screen-Time SHOULDN’T Matter
The title of this blog is NOT a typo. I am going to share some reasons as to why I think that we shouldn’t focus on ‘screen-time’. As someone who is interested in young children’s use of technology and its impact on their development, parents frequently ask me about how much ‘screen-time’ is … [Read more...]
Will DVDs Build My Baby’s Brain?
Today’s parents are under increasing pressure to buy educational goods for their children. From the moment a child is born, parents are bombarded with toys and products touted as ‘educational’. Parents and teachers are often seduced by the promise that these products will give young … [Read more...]