London
I remember early mornings when I was young, my first instinct would be to leap out of bed and head for my parent’s room. Then to the television set. Later in the day when the rest of the neighborhood was buzzing, I would be released from the house to play with other kids in the nearby gardens and trees. Now for these tiny tots, mornings mean a mad-rush online.
They look adorable and disarming—bed-heads and pajamas, but the reality is wild horses cannot drag them away from something fun on the computer. And the computer seems to be an treasure trove of fun things. They still play board games like Operation, or make-believe (the two older kiddies are fond of imaginary decorator shops and cafes) or watch TV. It depends where the mood takes them. They will sit and watch Cbeebies on TV but go online to play together at Cbeebies.com. Not necessarily in that order.
Even the 2 year old gets involved. Her 7 year old brother tolerates his younger sisters on Cbeebies.com but when he plays backgammon with another little boy online, it’s for him alone. Ever since his dad taught him how to play a few weeks ago he’s been practicing with a boy in Denmark.
TRUTH: For kids, digital is not a separate channel or touchpoint, but a playground. Sharing, playing, exercising the imagination, winning and losing, getting along and even getting to know people from far-away places and cultures—it’s all played out at the computer and online.
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