What does the Internet of Things mean for children growing up?

We often talk about children growing up as digital natives, that they naturally know how to use electronic devices and digital technology. However, this is to limit the experience children have today of the internet. Rather than something that is simply consumed on the screen it now extends to physical products and associated devices that send and receive data for fun and leaning — the internet of things.

This means that children don’t see a sharp device between the virtual online world and the physical world around them. At a simple level, this starts with apps and games that interact with and are powered by toys. In the video-game world, this can be a Lego figure who not only unlocks characters in the game but also saves their progress. Or it might be a toy car that can interact with an on-screen racing game.

While many parents can worry about screen time a better way to look at internet and game playing is whether the child is having a varied diet — much like we don’t concern ourselves with children’s “plate time” and instead teach them to eat well. The internet of things is helpful here as it encourages children towards activity that is not tied to a screen — whether that’s for play, learning or outdoor exploration.

What should parents be mindful of to ensure their child is not negatively impacted by this pace of change?

The truth is that at this moment in time we really just don’t know what impact IoT is going to have on children or their development. It is still a new and emerging technology. If you are a parent and read the main stream media then IoT is a soul consuming monster. However, technology itself is neither good or bad, it’s how we use them that makes the difference.

IoT is no different. Take ‘Teddy Guardian’. On the outside a simple child’s stuffed animal. On the inside brimming with technology that can check a babies heart rate, temperature and even oxygen levels alerting parents to potential health issues early on. Who knows it may even save a life soon.

It also depends on how you market IoT. When I ask parents if they would allow a microphone in their child’s room that will record their child’s conversations and then store it on someone else computer the majority of parents look horrified. Yet ‘Hello Barbie’, the Wi-Fi connected doll, does exactly that. Does this make Barbie wrong? No, of course, it doesn’t but, In an age of questions around privacy, hacking, advertising and online safety it does raise some interesting questions!