Feature
Tech Toys
Pushing the right buttons
Technology in toys can be varied in its complexity and presentation, from subtle lights and sounds to programmable motion and interactivity, but generally speaking, it’s there for one of two core purposes – entertainment or education. Rachael Simpson-Jones asks how technology enhances play and learning, and whether you can have too much of a good thing.
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he application of tech to toys is not a recent development – many readers will have had walking, talking robots and backflipping dogs in their toyboxes decades ago - but it’s fair to say the way it’s being applied is becoming ever more innovative, especially when it comes to education. Over the past year, more parents and caregivers than ever before have begun to appreciate that toys can genuinely boost learning outcomes, and this year they can choose from a raft of new offerings that introduce key concepts to kids from a young age, all through the power of tech. Take, for instance, LeapFrog’s LeapLand Adventures, a plug-and-play games console for kids from just three years old. “LeapLand Adventures was designed to present young children with the essential learning skills needed to lay a foundation for later school success,” says Tiffany Sakaguchi, LeapFrog learning expert. “Throughout the game, children meet fun and educational characters who introduce letter names and sounds, teach counting, and present shapes and colours found in everyday items. To further the learning, the game also includes a Learning Centre in which kids can practise specific skills at their own pace.” Technology has allowed Learning Resources to develop various coding products such as its bestselling Botley the Coding Robot and the Code & Go Robot Mouse, Coding Critters and Artie 3000. These products provide coding and STEM based learning
opportunities, and, like all Learning Resources products, do so in an organic, stealthy way. The company is introducing two new coding products to expand its award-winning Coding Critters range. Called Coding Critters MagiCoders, new launches Blazer the Dragon and Sky the Unicorn capitalise on the popular dragon and unicorn themes still prevalent in the toy market. Both products are designed for ages four plus and incorporate a coding wand, spell book and play set, adding a new dimension to the younger end of Learning Resource’s coding range. SmartLab, meanwhile, creates unique products for slightly older kids aged eight and over. All the company’s toys provide hands-on kinaesthetic learning and visually stimulating content. SmartLab weaves compelling technological elements into every product, across material science, chemical reactions, or auditory and tactile stimulation such as that found in kits like Smart Circuits, Archi-Tech Electronic Smart House, Tiny Circuits! and – a personal favourite – the Ultimate Squishy Human Body with SmartScan Technology, which lets kids place human organs on an innovative sensor to trigger facts, quiz questions, realistic ‘body sounds’ and more. I asked SmartLab’s George Scott how the technology in the company’s products aids learning. He told me the best toys allow children to add their own individual insights, problem-solving skills, divergent thinking and perseverance to their play, which is why SmartLab toys allow for open-ended experimentation and
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repeat enjoyment. He adds: “SmartLab toys encourage children to experience wonder, test the unknown and increase their understanding through hands-on exploration. Each SmartLab toy comes with originally designed and innovative tech components; from slime and electronics to human anatomy, architecture, chemistry and robotics, offering playful learning experiences to delight and amaze any child.” Tonies audio devices bridge the gap between learning and entertainment. As Lucia Kreuzer, UK & Ireland MD, explains, founders Patric Faßbender and Marcus Stahl started Tonies with the belief that audio can both ignite a child’s imagination and enable them to discover more. She says: “With children at the heart of everything we do, we wanted to create a way for children to experience the magic of storytelling in this digital age, stimulating their imagination and creativity. Our audio storytelling system enables young children to unlock a new world of exploration and curiosity, transforming the way in which they independently play and learn. We put a great deal of thought, research and work into the content that we bring to Tonies, and there is a huge amount of variety in our portfolio. We foster strong bonds between children and parents through the magic of storytelling, whether parents are introducing their children to classic stories such as the Famous Five, listening together to the latest blockbuster story, such as Frozen, or our wonderful music and educational content, including Peter and the Wolf or our How and Why Tonies.”
