Are Toddlers and Tech Toys a Good Mix?

Every year, it seems there are more toddler tech toys luring parents with bright-colored buttons, TV-screen connections, and promises that a techy toddler is an educated, engaged toddler.

I've never been convinced that setting a toddler in front of computer or a plug-and-play TV game is the best thing for them. Warren Buckleitner, editor of Children's Technolgy Review, supported that view when he revealed some of his research at CES' Sandbox Summit, showing video of toddlers who weren't as engaged in a tech toy as ads indicated.

That said, kids mimic what we do and what their older sibs do, so some will clamor to get onto the keyboard that makes things happen on the bright screen. So, common sense and some guidance is needed for parents trying to make the best decisions for their kids.

Some of the best advice I've found comes from BabyCenter, which begins with two wise maxims: Hold off until at least 9 months and add tech to your child's toy mix when they show an interest, not you.

With my work, my kids saw me on a computer from their earliest moments and wanted to tap away on the same "fun" buttons that earned so much of my attention. I would have appreciated some products like Giggles that allow little ones to tap away on keyboards and make interesting things happen on the screen without jeopardizing the grown-up files on the PC.

When you do introduce computer games to your young child, make it shared time. "Share the computer experience with your child as a friend, fellow audience member, and guide. That way, you'll be there to draw your child out, just as you do when reading a book," BabyCenter recommends.

Check out the full list of tips in the link. Then add your two cents. How early is too early for tech toys? What has truly engaged your little ones when they make the leap to the keyboard or other interactive toys?