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0417 APRIL
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bringing back ?e scene is all too familiar.
toys
are scattered around the room?the noise of blinking
toys
, buzzing
toys
, talking
toys
?all lit by the glow of the television and smartphones in hand. while this may be jarring for adults,
children
have become accustomed to the over- stimulating environment created by today?s technology. it?s a far cry from our childhood and even further from the generation before. of course we want to embrace the advances in technology. no one wants to get left behind in the digital age. however, we also want what is best for our
children
. daily, we ask ourselves a hundred questions about their well being. are we raising fair and honest kids? should we buy them that new bike or make them earn it? are we spending enough time with them? should they be eating only organic food? are they learning how to be kind and decent? but one of the biggest questions these days is: should i limit screen time? combating screen time
children
in today?s modern world are inundated with electronics. from television to tablets, learning and entertainment has been reduced to high definition touch screens in many cases. while these devices can be helpful to keep a restless child entertained while you check things off your to do list, there are some concerns. ??e fast moving shows and games are likely over stimulating to the developing mind. ?e violence, language, and sexuality are always concerning. however, i get just as worried about the unrealistic story lines and extreme personalities of even some of today?s more young child-friendly cartoons,? says dr. stephen sanches, a pediatrician at ?e pediatric clinic. dr. sanches recommends no more than one hour of screen time a day for
children
over two during the week with a little more flexibility on the weekends. and for
children
under two, he advises parents to skip screen time as much as possible. with your little one?s attention glued to the screen, they are ignoring the world around them. ?ere is no social interaction, no problem solving, no conversation. so, what can we do to combat this? ?e answer is simple?
play
. ?i consider
play
to be a form of behavior or activity in which the child engages for the purpose of enjoyment. while the child may experience numerous other gains or losses due to this behavior, the primary purpose is enjoyment,? says dr. sanches. he goes on to say that
play
is important for
children
because it allows them to be creative and to use their imaginations. ?is is one of the main reasons that old- fashioned
toys
are back in the spotlight. no batteries to buy, no devices to charge, these
toys
provide a break from the fast-paced world. games like jenga, etch a sketch, pik-up stiks, and jacks develop and engage
children
in a completely different way than an electronic toy. ??ere are different types of
play
which parents can encourage?games that have rules and premises and completely unstructured
play
or free time. i think a combination of both are important,? says dr. sanches. ?sometimes, in today?s structured and media-driven world, it may take the parents letting the child get quite bored in order to let the child?s mind begin to engage [in
play
].? benefits of the
toys
so, what are the benefits of
play
ing with these old school
toys
? one study, published by jama pediatrics , found that
children
and parents spoke and responded less when engaged with electronic
toys
. with the buzzing and whirring and talking of electronic
toys
, it is more difficult to speak over all the noise. we tend to stay quiet and let the toy do the talking. ?is means slower language development for
children
. another benefit of these old-fashioned
toys
is they encourage much more interaction from everyone. electronic
toys
, tablets, and television often take a parent?s place. ?is is not the case with simpler
toys
. ?ese
toys
provide opportunities to
play
with by season vining old-fashioned
toys
86 brparents.com | april 2017
toys-play-child-87.html
