The largest Toy Fair in the western hemisphere is underway with a focus on the latest tech toys, gadgets and gizmos.
However, toy makers are also trying to navigate growing concerns about screen addiction in young children.
The digital world may be a big draw for kids, but there are worries about the negative effects of too much tech, including reduced brain development and addictive behavior.
So how are toymakers and parents addressing the issues?
Nick Harper reports from New York.
IN: "Playing..."
OUT: SOC
DUR: 2:40
AIR: http://www.fsnradionews.com/feeds/0219tech-addiction-nh-air.mp3
ARN: http://www.fsnradionews.com/feeds/0219tech-addiction-nh-arn.mp3
FM4: http://www.fsnradionews.com/feeds/0219tech-addiction-nh-fm4.mp3
GENERIC: http://www.fsnradionews.com/feeds/0219tech-addiction-nh-gen.mp3
ICRT: http://www.fsnradionews.com/feeds/0219tech-addiction-nh-icrt.mp3
NIGERIA: http://www.fsnradionews.com/feeds/0219tech-addiction-nh-von.mp3
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RNZ: http://www.fsnradionews.com/feeds/0219tech-addiction-nh-rnz.mp3
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SABC: http://www.fsnradionews.com/feeds/0219tech-addiction-nh-sabc.mp3
TAKE PKG
TAKE VO
Playing the old fashioned way.
-upsound - "shall we put it here where the tracks merge"
TAKE VO
Jessie Munton is trying to keep her son Cai on the right tracks, by limiting his screen time.
There's no TV in the house. And she and her husband now limit their own phone use - even though at times it's been a uphill struggle.
SOT - Jessie Munton, Mother
"We just enjoy playing with him and seeing him positively engage with the world around him. And I think we're aware of the ways that spending a lot of time looking at screens ourselves can make us feel isolated and sad. And we just want him to feel their are other people with him and we think screens can be counter-productive for that."
TAKE VO
Growing evidence suggests digital-world immersion can interfere with a child's brain development, even causing addictive behavior.
TAKE VO
Child Physiatrist Susan Abbott recommends no more than an hour a day for under fives.
And she wants to see clearer recommendations to help parents limit screen time for their children.
SOT - Susan Abbott, Child Physiatrist
"The concern is that they're not receiving face to face interaction, that they're not receiving as much language, number of words spoken by their care taker. There are critical periods in development where babies and very young children must receive this type of input in order to develop normally."
TAKE VO
Addictive online gaming can even prove fatal, like the Blue Whale game, which challenges young people through social media to complete daily tasks, the last being to commit suicide. It's been blamed for over 130 deaths across Russia and India.
TAKE VO
Some toymakers are now focusing solely on encouraging kids to play together without electronics.
Putting technology aside, Letitia Fox created 'Playdate in a Box' to help promote social interaction.
SOT - Letitia Fox, Playdate in a Box
"My mission is to bring old school play back for kids. To inspire their own creative imagination. And I believe children are becoming more isolated and they're more dependent on technology and electronics, and less dependent on social interaction."
TAKE VO
It's a difficult balancing act for toymakers - knowing tech toys are likely to sell well, but also needing to acknowledge these growing concerns from parents and the medical world. The first generation of screen-time kids, and their parents, have teething troubles that still need to be resolved.
SOC
ENDS
However, toy makers are also trying to navigate growing concerns about screen addiction in young children.
The digital world may be a big draw for kids, but there are worries about the negative effects of too much tech, including reduced brain development and addictive behavior.
So how are toymakers and parents addressing the issues?
IN: "Playing..."
OUT: SOC
DUR: 2:40
AIR: http://www.fsnradionews.com/feeds/0219tech-addiction-nh-air.mp3
ARN: http://www.fsnradionews.com/feeds/0219tech-addiction-nh-arn.mp3
FM4: http://www.fsnradionews.com/feeds/0219tech-addiction-nh-fm4.mp3
GENERIC: http://www.fsnradionews.com/feeds/0219tech-addiction-nh-gen.mp3
ICRT: http://www.fsnradionews.com/feeds/0219tech-addiction-nh-icrt.mp3
NIGERIA: http://www.fsnradionews.com/feeds/0219tech-addiction-nh-von.mp3
938LIVE: http://www.fsnradionews.com/feeds/0219tech-addiction-nh-938.mp3
RNZ: http://www.fsnradionews.com/feeds/0219tech-addiction-nh-rnz.mp3
VATICAN: http://www.fsnradionews.com/feeds/0219tech-addiction-nh-vat.mp3
ZIZ: http://www.fsnradionews.com/feeds/0219tech-addiction-nh-ziz.mp3
SABC: http://www.fsnradionews.com/feeds/0219tech-addiction-nh-sabc.mp3
TAKE PKG
TAKE VO
Playing the old fashioned way.
-upsound - "shall we put it here where the tracks merge"
TAKE VO
Jessie Munton is trying to keep her son Cai on the right tracks, by limiting his screen time.
There's no TV in the house. And she and her husband now limit their own phone use - even though at times it's been a uphill struggle.
SOT - Jessie Munton, Mother
"We just enjoy playing with him and seeing him positively engage with the world around him. And I think we're aware of the ways that spending a lot of time looking at screens ourselves can make us feel isolated and sad. And we just want him to feel their are other people with him and we think screens can be counter-productive for that."
TAKE VO
Growing evidence suggests digital-world immersion can interfere with a child's brain development, even causing addictive behavior.
TAKE VO
Child Physiatrist Susan Abbott recommends no more than an hour a day for under fives.
And she wants to see clearer recommendations to help parents limit screen time for their children.
SOT - Susan Abbott, Child Physiatrist
"The concern is that they're not receiving face to face interaction, that they're not receiving as much language, number of words spoken by their care taker. There are critical periods in development where babies and very young children must receive this type of input in order to develop normally."
TAKE VO
Addictive online gaming can even prove fatal, like the Blue Whale game, which challenges young people through social media to complete daily tasks, the last being to commit suicide. It's been blamed for over 130 deaths across Russia and India.
TAKE VO
Some toymakers are now focusing solely on encouraging kids to play together without electronics.
Putting technology aside, Letitia Fox created 'Playdate in a Box' to help promote social interaction.
SOT - Letitia Fox, Playdate in a Box
"My mission is to bring old school play back for kids. To inspire their own creative imagination. And I believe children are becoming more isolated and they're more dependent on technology and electronics, and less dependent on social interaction."
TAKE VO
It's a difficult balancing act for toymakers - knowing tech toys are likely to sell well, but also needing to acknowledge these growing concerns from parents and the medical world. The first generation of screen-time kids, and their parents, have teething troubles that still need to be resolved.
SOC
ENDS