Technology is so powerful that even the very young get hooked on it. Children and computers make a good team. But, it is important for parents to know the advantages and disadvantages of computers to children.

The Advantages

Educational Value

Academic growth is one the best advantages of computers to children According to a research, toddlers who use computers gain more learning which result to better development as compared to children who do not use computers. Clicking on icons teaches cause and effect. Teaching a toddler how to e-mail can improve his writing skills while searching the internet exposes a toddler to various resources which helps expand a child’s knowledge.

Boosts Motor Skills

Using a mouse and pressing keys gives your toddler’s chubby hands the same type of exercise he gets from drawing or coloring. These movements also improve hand-eye coordination that will pay off in the years to come as your toddler learns to tie his shoes, use scissors or throw a ball.

Hones Performance of Toddlers With Special Needs

Toddlers with special needs can greatly benefit from computers. There are a lot of activities and lessons designed for children with special needs you can find online. With these learning materials, a toddler with special needs is able to execute tasks he cannot normally do. In addition, since they are found online, it can be accessed by the toddler at his convenience unlike a special needs teacher.

Source of Entertainment

Another advantage of computers to children is entertainment value. Toddlers can spend a couple of minutes playing games online. There are a lot of child-friendly websites your toddler can visit to play games. Most of these websites are educational so a toddler can learn the ABC’s, numbers, shapes, words and other basic concepts he has to learn for preschool.

The Disadvantages

Limits Interaction With People

The main disadvantage of computers to children is that it limits social interaction. A toddler needs to interact with people, especially kids his age to hone his social skills and learn empathy.

Too Much Stimulation

Bold colors, loud sounds, flashing lights and continuous action can overwhelm a toddler. This can make a toddler irritable after a computer session and give him a hard time focusing on quieter activities such as reading.

Impedes Physical Development

Too much sedentary time is not only bad for your toddler’s posture but it also limits him from moving. Physical play is essential to toddler growth as it helps build strong muscles. Computers rob off a toddler’s chance to figure out how to stack blocks to construct a building or shovel sand into a bucket - hands-on activities that can help a toddler discover the world around him.

Vision Problems

A toddler who spends too much time staring at a computer is at risk of having childhood computer vision syndrome. Children are prone to this because computers require motor skills from eyes that are still underdeveloped.

In this modern time, computers are undoubtedly a part of a toddler’s development. While computers are beneficial to children, too much exposure can cause harm. Thus, it is important for parents to guide their children so they know how to balance cyberworld and real world.