Tips for Using Tech Toys + Educational Play
by Dr. Jody Sherman LeVos View Bio
Dr. Jody Sherman LeVos is the Director of Learning at LeapFrog Enterprises, and also one of the mathematics learning designers for the Learning Team. Jody works on products across all platforms to teach math concepts in developmentally appropriate ways using research-based techniques, and oversees the team of in-house educators to foster the development of world-class educational experiences. Before joining LeapFrog, Jody was a researcher, instructor and math textbook author. She is also the proud mother of two young sons. Jody earned her doctorate in developmental science (specializing in mathematical and cognitive development) at the University of Alberta, in Canada.
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- Play is probably the foremost way in which children interact with the world around them. Play is such a vital part of child development and learning, and anything we can do to encourage play is really important.
- Identify toys that have valuable educational content by using a brand that has credibility, looking on the packaging and seeing what skills the product claims to teach, and making sure that those skills are clear and believable.
- There are a lot of co-play experiences where kids can actually play together, whether competing against each other or collaborating to achieve a common goal. That can be a lot of fun with technology, whether it is peer-to-peer play on tablets or even games kids can play together.
- View technology and digital play as part of a healthy diet of experiences. We need kids to get outside. We need them to be on the floor constructing things by themselves and with their siblings and peers. We need them to be doing all of those things, and technology can play an important role in learning and development and fun.
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How do you know if a tech toy is educational? How much should kids engage in digital play? We spoke with Dr. Jody Sherman LeVos, Director of Learning at LeapFrog, to get her take on why play is a critical part of children’s education and what tips she has for parents.
How does play help children learn and grow?
Jody Sherman LeVos: Play is absolutely essential. Play is probably the foremost way in which children interact with the world around them. When they make discoveries, they are really acting in the world as little scientists, doing experiments to learn what happens when you drop something off the table or what happens when you poke the cat. That’s how you learn the rules of engagement and how you explore new responsibilities and roles. Play is such a vital part of child development and learning, and anything we can do to encourage play is really important.
How can parents identify toys that have valuable educational content?
JSL: It’s a great question because a lot of toys claim to have educational content now. It’s really a buzz word to put on packaging. Parents should be mindful of the promises that they’re buying into.
- TIP: Turn to a brand that they trust, to a brand that has credibility in the space.
- TIP: Look on the packaging and see what skills the product claims to teach, and make sure that those skills are clear and believable.
- TIP: Make sure that the toys you’re buying are the right age and stage for your child.
Age range and developmental appropriateness is really important. When we’re designing an educational toy with an age range in mind, we are specifically targeting those learning objectives for that age range, and also meeting the safety criteria for that age range. The last thing parents want is to buy a toy for a child and that child puts it down because it’s either too young for them or too old for them and they become either frustrated or bored by it.
“Play is probably the foremost way in which children interact with the world around them. When they make discoveries, they are really acting in the world as little scientists.”
What are some examples of the skills that kids can develop through educational toys?
JSL: It really depends on the product, and the product should be really clear on what those learning objectives are. You can’t expect a toy to teach everything your child needs to know in one product.
- TIP: Look for products and games that hone in on one skill set that relates to the play pattern.
How can parents encourage social play when kids use tech toys?
JSL: It’s a great question because social play is so important. We want to make sure we’re raising kids who know how to navigate social situations, how to play with their friends and interact with each other, so it’s really critical.
Within technology there are actually ways to be social. We know now that there are a lot of co-play experiences where kids can actually play together, whether competing against each other or collaborating to achieve a common goal. That can be a lot of fun with technology, whether it’s peer-to-peer play on tablets, for example, or even games kids can play together and each receive a curriculum that’s appropriate for their level.
How do tech toys fit into a child’s diet of play?
JSL: I think it’s exactly that — it’s viewing technology and digital play as part of a healthy diet of experiences. We need kids to get outside. We need them to be on the floor constructing things by themselves and with their siblings and peers. We need them to be doing all of those things, and technology can play an important role in learning and development and fun. But it does need to be a part of that balance, not a dominating role that detracts from other important activities.
- TIP: Establish a media plan so that everyone understand expectations, and understand when it’s appropriate (to use technology), where it’s appropriate, and for how long.
That’s something that the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends as well, where you establish a plan of where technology is appropriate in the house and what type of technology and content is appropriate. Your rule in your home might be, yes, you can have screen time, but it has to be an educational app, for example. And then finally the third piece of that plan is how much. So your media plan might specify you can have two hours a day on the weekend and only 30 minutes during the week after homework is done. Every family should have a tailored, customized media plan that makes sense for them, based on the age of their child and their views on technology.