The Impact Of Technology On The Way That Children Play
A lot of things have changed when the modern and the post-modern era are compared. One thing that has changed a lot is the way that children play. Once technology came into play, nothing was ever the same.
In the modern era the big things were dolls, action figures, puzzles, stuffed animals, balls, tea party sets etc. Were some of the things that children played. TV’s were extremely expensive and most families couldn’t afford them. Most of the play was outside play. Unlike today, where most of their playtime consists of indoor play. In the postmodern era, the world is rapidly changing, the way children play is also changing. technology is the greatest benefactor in why the world is changing so much, so fast. It is no secret that the number of children that have a touch screen device, has sky rocketed from when they first came out.
According to more than sixty percent of parents say that their child uses a touch screen and its most popular use is for games. Progressively over the years, kids have their own devices. About thirty percent of parents claim the use of said touch screen device is very often. Researchers have found that touchscreens have overtaken every other type of toy to become the most popular way that children play. Researchers have also found that over seventy percent of children in all income levels are living in homes with smartphones, and over fifty five percent with tablets. “Touchscreens beat out the toys that have been around for decades, for example, toys such as dolls and action figures, arts and crafts, and construction-based toys, all of which had an approximately fifty percent usage rate on the poll. Gaming consoles had a usage rate of a bit less than fifty percent, with other children's staples such as vehicles, puzzles, and board games landing closer to forty percent. The polls reveal that ten percent of parents always consider touch devices as a play item or toy, while fifty eight percent considered them toys to use on occasion. The fact that most applications on the touch screen devices are free and accessible at a touch of a finger, its no reason why this form of play is most common amongst children.
In the near future it is predicted that rather than making a trip to the local store to buy a child a toy, children will be able to make their own toys using a 3-D printer. As soon as these devices become more accessible and less expensive to most families, it’ll be no time when most children have access to a 3-D printer, just as once with computers and flat-screen TVs, the price of 3-D printers will sooner or later go down as the technology becomes more commonly obtainable. In a couple of years, most children will be printing their own dollhouse furniture, animal toys, and little planes and cars right from the comfort of their own home.
