No Smart Phone For You!

Toys. I love toys. No, not the weird early-90s movie I secretly dug, but the objects we give to children for play. There seems to be a fundamental misunderstanding of what toys are for and who they are for. Children’s use of toys is something that helps develop their brains, bodies, and social responsibilities that might be expected of them in adulthood. A pediatric review of the role of toys and play in children’s lives by the Northern Clinics of Istanbul states that games and toys play a crucial role in raising healthy and happy individuals (Cetin Dag et al 2021). Toys and games should promote the use of children’s imaginations and physical skills, and smartphones, tablets, and device-bound toys and games terminate any chance at imaginative development.

Children are getting access to smartphones too early in their development. Any electronic with a screen can stunt a child’s development, and an article published by Boston Children’s Hospital (Kelly 2023) has recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics:

“The AAP advises keeping children away from screens until they’re 18 months old and limiting digital media use for 2- to 5-year-olds to one hour per day.”

It is perfectly fine for your four-year-old to play with a tablet while the family dines out.  Once home, though, the tablet should be removed and replaced by a physical toy or game. Just beware of connected toys… physical toys that require a child to interact with a smartphone or tablet computer to access all features of the toy. It’s fascinating how up-in-arms parents got over suspicions a 1997 camera-embedded Barbie doll might spy on their kids (no such tech existed at the time), while this generation of parents (and schools) give their children devices with built-in cameras that CAN be hacked and accessed!  Divorced from aspects of pure play, a Washington Post article states, “Your children could be ready for a smartphone or similar device anywhere from ten to fourteen, or during middle school” (Kelly 2023).

 The article also brings up a fantastic compromise to keep a child from Roblox addiction; a smartwatch or a phone that isn’t quite smart enough to get your child into trouble (Kelly 2023). A ten-year-old should not be on social media, and the vast majority of popular social media apps are for thirteen years and above (which is still too young). It does provide us with a guideline, however. “You can have social media when it’s legal for you to use it,” might be a good standard. As a teacher of children aged 11-18, I love this compromise in technology. It also would give me hope that students have the early childhood development necessary to prosper in school and life.

There was so much more I wanted to write about, but the topic is too huge to tackle in one blog. Rest assured, I gathered enough research material to produce various opinions on the various aspects of smartphone technology and how children interact with it. My brain will continue to ponder the aspects I didn’t get to in this blog entry, and suddenly there’s a series. Or not. I really can’t predict the neurospiciness levels a subject has for me.

Works Cited

Cetin Dag N, Turkkan E, Kacar A, Dag H. Children’s only profession: Playing with toys. North Clin Istanb 2021;8(4):414–420.

Kelly, Heather. “What Age Should You Give a Kid Their First Phone?” Washington Post, 7 Sept. 2023.

Fliesler, Nancy. “Screen Time Caution for Babies.” Boston Children’s Hospital, 2 Feb. 2023, answers.childrenshospital.org/screen-time-infants/.

Warning! Toxic Toys!

Making and collecting miniatures has been a lifelong special interest. Toy company Zuru has been giving with an amazing array of miniatures, though not always consistent with scale. They’re relatively safe for school-age children. It’s the MGA Miniverse toy kits that are concerning.

Miniverse is a series of ball-shaped “surprise” craft toys by MGA (best known for LOL Surprise and Bratz dolls). The projects are all at a consistent, roughly 1/6th scale (fashion doll size), and are amazing with details, realism, and interactivity.

It is that interactivity that is the problem. Nearly every one of the Miniverse craft kits contains highly toxic UV resin. UV resin is something you’re more familiar with than you’d think; it’s what makes most modern manicures. A clear liquid, UV resin can be tinted to nearly any shade, and the resin contained in the craft kits tend to be clear (water or juice), opaque white, pink, or yellow (cheese and sauces).

You can assemble the craft without the resin, but it’s the resin that hardens into a plastic that connects all of the tiny pieces. Hold on, the manicurist uses a special lamp on your nails! No worries, the instructions on Miniverse kits have you placing the finished object in direct sunlight for five to ten minutes. Problems all solved! Everyone can play with UV resin!

Or not. The craft kits don’t contain everything you need; like disposable gloves. While playing with one or two of these kits will expose your child to highly toxic chemicals, it is repeated exposures that lead to contact dermatitis. Disposable gloves are the only way to remove most of that risk. When it comes to the removal of any residue on one’s skin, the ONLY thing that will remove resin completely is (high percentage) rubbing alcohol.

Contact dermatitis leaves one’s fingers with itchy skin and cysts only relieved by steroid creams. Later, the skin dies and sloughs off, very often leaving fissures and splits where the toxin penetrates more deeply. It’s painful, it’s ugly, and no child should have to worry about it!

There’s a quite simple solution to this problem, however. Clear-dry glue. Elmer’s, hot glue, Mod Podge, you can use (and tint with paint) a safe liquid to a solid substance that won’t leave painful lesions on your child’s hands! The YouTube channel @myfroggystuff has dozens of videos on how to safely play with Miniverse kits, and is recommended to parents and toy collectors alike!