According to a new research, children from the United Kingdom aged 10 years and below spend almost an hour per day using tech-based products.
The survey commissioned by educational entertainment company Leap Frog reveals that 63 percent of children aged 10 years and below now own a digital camera, gaming or mobile device. Six percent of those own a tablet PC such as an iPad. The survey also reveals that 70 percent of kids use their parents’ laptop or PC regularly, while 16 percent have their own computers.
With electronic devices becoming an important part of family life and kids being introduced to technology now at a younger age, it is not surprising to see that 19 percent of parents say that their children know more about technology than they do. The study also reveals that 50 percent of families claim that they use technology as a means of bringing the family closer.
The study also revealed that entertainment is the number one use of gadgets in the home with 48 percent, while 39 percent of families use it as an educational aid with the continued increase of educational apps available.
According to futurologist Dr. Ian Pearson, who tracks and predicts developments in tech and society, over the next ten years, we will be seeing tablets to be common in classrooms, with Amazon Kindles replacing books. Traditional books, however, will still have a place.
“It is undeniable that children adapt very naturally to new technology trends and it’s encouraging to see families embracing it in ways that promote family time and facilitate children’s learning,” said LeapFrog senior marketing manager EMEA and Australasia Robert Dekker. “That said, online safety is still a common concern for parents and so it’s really important to ensure that any screen time is monitored closely. This also means that there is a huge appetite for safe and engaging learning, which is where we try to offer an innovative and creative solution with products such as Tag, Explorer and LeapPad.”
