| Imagine cuddling up with your small child to look at a | | | | means that the game responds in some way to |
| picture book together that is interactive, musical, | | | | random keyboard presses and mouse clicks, and that |
| responsive and talks to you? | | | | the game continues in a positive way even when no |
| This is the experience that people are having who are | | | | input is forthcoming from the baby. A preschooler will |
| engaged in that relatively new pastime – playing | | | | need more of a challenge or more educational content, |
| computer games with babies. | | | | but the game should be designed to be always fun, |
| JumpStart’s Knowledge Adventure calls it | | | | reactive in a positive way and self-resolving when the |
| “lapware”, Kiddies Games’ logo is | | | | child does not get the correct answer. At this age, it is |
| “Hop on the lap and tap”, and Sesame | | | | more important that computer games contribute |
| Street’s “Baby and Me” opens with | | | | positively to self-esteem, rather than conscientiously |
| an animation of a baby monster hopping onto the lap | | | | correcting incorrect answers about educational |
| of a Daddy monster to play the computer. Playing | | | | concepts that the child will master when they’re |
| computer games with your baby is being promoted as | | | | older anyway. The software is meticulous about |
| a fun activity that a child and their caregiver can share | | | | adhering to these rules. |
| together. And rightly so, because whatever the activity, | | | | What types of skills are learned by playing toddler |
| physical, loving closeness is an important ingredient that | | | | computer games? Obviously, computer software is |
| infants need for healthy intellectual, emotional and | | | | not suitable for practicing gross motor or even fine |
| physical development. | | | | motor skills. However, there are many types of |
| Reading a bedtime story to a small eager child is a | | | | educational concepts that computer games can help a |
| tradition in many homes. As the children get older, this | | | | child master, including shapes, sounds, cause and |
| may be replaced by watching TV together. Our | | | | effect, identifying and naming things (such as objects |
| parents’ families listened to the radio together. | | | | and colors), increasing vocabulary, language concepts, |
| Playing on the computer with a small child may | | | | the forms of letters and numbers, counting, pattern |
| become a new type of family tradition. Home | | | | recognition, detail observation and word construction. |
| computers and internet are making their way into more | | | | At KiddiesGames, we strive to offer games for small |
| and more homes. Some parents use the computer in | | | | children that are out of the ordinary, such as foreign |
| their work and are delighted to share the computer for | | | | language exposure and practicing the positions on the |
| a fun activity with their kids. Other parents want to | | | | telephone for dialing emergency. The reactiveness and |
| make sure their children become computer literate. | | | | interactiveness of computer software is, of course, |
| Well-designed, interactive, educational computer games | | | | superior to that of books, and can be superior to that |
| engage small children as much as the television and | | | | of toys, especially in the area of language. Infant |
| are more educational than TV because they incite the | | | | computer games are also being cited as excellent |
| child to interact and think, rather than passively watch | | | | resources for children with special education needs, |
| and listen. These are the reasons for the increasing | | | | because such games are simple, happy, |
| popularity of toddler computer software. Although a | | | | brightly-colored, patient, controlled by the child and allow |
| relatively small industry, software for infants has been | | | | the child to make things happen. |
| cited as being a very fast growing industry. | | | | An official recommendation from the American |
| What type of computer software is available for | | | | Academy of Pediatrics at is to “Discourage |
| babies, toddlers and preschoolers? There are free | | | | television viewing for children younger than 2 years, |
| games on websites and there are download and | | | | and encourage more interactive activities that will |
| CDROM software that you can buy. Most software | | | | promote proper brain development, such as talking, |
| for this age group is games, but computer story books | | | | playing, singing, and reading together.” This has |
| also exist. Wonderful websites that offer free games | | | | been taken as advice to avoid exposing those young |
| of which many are suitable for preschoolers | | | | children to the computer. However, well-designed infant |
| (preschoolers are able to do directed clicking with the | | | | software actually encourages those great activities of |
| mouse) are: | | | | “talking, playing, singing, and reading |
| [ | | | | together”. By carrying out the play activities |
| Great free sites for babies (whose skills tend to be | | | | proposed by the computer game, the caregiver is |
| more limited to banging the keyboard) are: | | | | actually prompted with a framework or script for |
| CDROM or download software that you buy is usually | | | | carrying out those “talking, playing, singing, and |
| better than free internet games. The games are | | | | reading” activities with the child. Experts are now |
| usually superior (more graphics, more music, more | | | | saying that while computer games for infants should |
| involved games for older kids) and the software takes | | | | not replace toys and blocks and books and should not |
| over the entire screen, which is more appropriate for | | | | be used as an electronic babysitter, that they are yet |
| very young children who click anywhere and | | | | another valid toy resource. For example, a summer |
| everywhere on the screen. Some of the well-known | | | | 2004 newsletter from the Hawaii State Health |
| producers are: | | | | Department at [ encourages playing with lapware. The |
| Reader Rabbit software from | | | | emphasis is not on acquiring measurable skills or |
| JumpStart software from | | | | getting correct answers, but is on open-ended |
| Fisher-Price software from | | | | exploration on the part of the child – which is |
| Sesame Street software from or | | | | another way of saying “having fun”. |
| [ | | | | Children are programmed to learn and practice what |
| Computer game softwares for this age group make | | | | they learned by playing and having fun. |
| conscientious efforts to be suitably educational. To | | | | Playing computer games with your small child is not |
| judge their effectiveness for your child, try them out | | | | yet a family tradition. However, it is an enjoyable, |
| with your child. If your child finds that it’s fun, then | | | | sharing activity that is becoming more and more |
| it’s probably educational. For a baby, fun usually | | | | popular. |