Electronic Learning Toys 101

Kids say the 'darndest' things and tech talk is no exception. Between mega bytes, mega pixels, wireless connections, and digital products of all sorts, it can be overwhelming to decipher and keep up with kids' technology lingo. Parents can start to feel like their kids know more about the tech world than they do!

Children are more 'tech literate' today because technology has become a vital part of their everyday lives. In fact, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation survey "Electronic Media in the Lives of Infants, Toddlers and Preschoolers," 31 percent of children age three and under are already using computers, and 21 percent can even point and click with a mouse by themselves. But, parents don't have to fear, as they can easily educate themselves on recent technology and teach their children how to responsibly use tech products. Educational tech toys make it easy to incorporate technology into kids' lives at an early age, without handing over a laptop or buying a cell phone.

VTech offers a few pointers to help parents make an informed choice when it comes to tech toy purchases. Here are some fun ways to incorporate education, technology, and the joy of toys.

• Introducing technology: Regardless of a child's age, parents can help their kids become acquainted with technology by introducing tech toys and kid-friendly computer games. These products cannot only be useful, but also can aid in building hand-eye coordination and keyboarding skills.
• Powering tech toys: It's every parent's nightmare to open a new tech toy and find it requires batteries that weren't included. Check the product packaging to ensure batteries are included or identify if the product works with an adapter. Outlet adapters may save time and money in the long run for a small investment up front.
• Age appropriateness: Evaluate educational tech toys by age appropriateness and a child's comprehension. Introduce tech toys as a child is ready for them. However, don't push if the child isn't interested in the product right away; it could signal that the child isn't ready for that tech product quite yet.
• Report card: Be sure to check out toy reports or parenting discussion boards. There are many reputable research reports and discussion boards available for parents to reference before making a tech toy purchase. Visit these sites to check out award-winning toy recommendations and tech toy product reviews: The National Parenting Center, Dr. Toy, and iParenting Media Awards.
• Trouble shooting: Similar to computer stores, many tech toy companies have customer or tech support available. Do the research up front to ensure the company is available via e-mail or phone, so you're not left with an “out of order product” and a disappointed child.