Toy Industry Association (TIA) Statement on Digital Apps for Children
The Toy Industry Association (TIA) and its members are proud of the important, life-shaping role that toys, games and play have in the development and growth of young minds and bodies.
Experts across a wide range of disciplines agree that play has an undeniable influence on every aspect of a child’s development: fostering self-esteem, emotional and social skills; honing motor skills, critical thinking and creativity; laying the foundation of reading, writing, and mathematical reasoning; and more.
TIA believes that children derive great benefit from a well-rounded day of play that can involve a combination of many types of toys, including digital playthings. We also believe that parents and caregivers are crucial partners in their child’s play and learning, and are ultimately responsible for selecting the playthings that are appropriate for the child’s age, interests and abilities. Active adult supervision and engagement during playtime is essential.
Accordingly, TIA supports the American Academy of Pediatrics recommendation that parents make a media use plan for their families that takes into account not only the quantity, but the quality and location of media used. Though we have seen no studies that support the AAP recommendation to discourage all screen media exposure for children under age 2, TIA supports the notion that media use plans should be age appropriate.
Today's children are digital natives. A review of recent research conducted by TIA confirms that electronic devices and applications (apps) for children are being used successfully to teach and reinforce literacy and vocabulary, mathematics, music, and other subjects. Studies show that educational apps can capture and sustain children’s attention, encourage repetition, and offer layered challenges to promote further mastery; some can also be personalized to the specific needs and abilities of a child. Apps that are well designed can have a positive impact on a child’s learning, especially when played with an adult.
In all its various forms, play can promote active minds and healthy lifestyles ... but parents and families are ultimately responsible for choosing the toys and digital playthings that they are comfortable having in their home and that reflect their beliefs and values.