By Mariel Uyquiengco
Smartphones and tablets in the hands of babes are a common sight. Parents whip out the ubiquitous iPad when their child starts to whimper at the restaurant or even at the dining table at home. They say it helps to quiet them down, and after all, the apps that they are allowed to use are educational. But are tablets for toddlers really beneficial?
One of the things that my husband and I talked about when we first became parents was our stance on television. I’ve read about the policy of the American Academy of Pediatrics discouraging parents to allow screen time for infants and children under two years old, and I was adamant that we follow it. When the tablets and smartphones came, we eschewed those too. Are our children the better for it? I believe so.
An Enriched Environment
A child’s brain develops rapidly in the first two years of life, and research conducted by Arnold Scheibel and Roderick Simonds demonstrates the impact of one’s early environment on brain development. In the book “Magic Trees of the Mind,” Marian Diamond, Ph. D., and Janet Hopson say that parents should provide their children an enriched environment that stimulates all senses and promotes “a broad range of skills and interests that are mental, physical, aesthetic, social, and emotional.”
Looking at the description of what an enriched environment is, I can say that tablets do not have a place in a young child’s hands. Still in its nascent stage, the full effects of the technology are not yet known. Going by the results of solid research on child development, such as Scheibel and Simonds’, it is still best to provide real-world experience. What children need is the opportunity to play with their whole bodies, to imagine, to self-entertain, to get muddy, to explore, and to fall in love with books.
Apps vs Real Life Experience
A look at Best Toddler Apps Org’s “Top 10 Toddler Apps 2013 for iPad” shows electronic versions of familiar childhood toys, games, and books. Examples are “Lego Duplo Zoo,” “Dr. Seuss ABC,” “Pocket Pond,” “The Going To Bed Book,” “Curious George at the Zoo,” “Planes, Trucks, Trains, and Boats,” and “Animal Touch Worlds.”
If you think about it, those apps are based on real books with pages that can be turned, toys that can challenge the imagination, and places that can be visited.
Some Tips
Tablets for toddlers may provide your child some entertainment and yes, he might even learn from it. If you find yourself in the “tablet trap” though and want ways to enrich your child’s learning environment, you can do well to provide him with rich experiences that engage all of his senses. You might want to do the reverse and take inspiration from the Top 10 Toddler Apps list. Here’s how:
1. Read to your child – The list has the iPad versions of “Dr. Seuss ABC,” “The Going to Bed Book,” and “Curious George At The Zoo.” How about you get the actual books and enjoy cuddling with your child?
2. Get blocks – Lego is a classic toy, and one that your child deserves to feel with his hands. There’s nothing better than seeing your child beam after building his first tower! And you are not limited to Lego. Go get wooden blocks that are open-ended and that will inspire your child’s imagination.
3. Go to a park or zoo – “Pocket Pond” is an app that simulates pond life. There might not be a lot of parks in Manila, but surely there are places where your child can enjoy nature!
Tablets, smartphones, computers, and TVs have places in our lives. Experts tell us that it is best to keep our children screen-free during their early years. There is no harm in waiting and letting our children engage with the world first.
Mariel Uyquiengco hopes to inspire parents to be their children’s first and best teacher. She does this through her blog and online children’s book shop www.thelearningbasket.com and by giving parenting seminars about early childhood development, preschool homeschool, and raising children to be readers.
