Are Technologically Driven Gadgets Pushing Toys Off the Shelves?

Almost everyone is suffering from the fever of being technologically tamed, where technology is the master and we act as a slave. Children are no different, they too have become addicted to this technologically driven games, gadgets, leaving their plastic and wooden toys.

According to Research and Markets reports the global educational toys market to grow at a CAGR of 9.63% during the period 2017-2021.

According to the report, one of the major drivers for this market is Innovative STEM learning in K-12 schools. STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) learning has been one of the key determinants of the success of schools across the world.

There are many reasons why the plastic and wooden toy market is facing a crisis, to name a few, here is the list:

Cover up for Working Parents:

Working parents find it easy to cover up their absence in their child’s life by pampering the kid. They buy these gadgets which are otherwise an expensive affair to keep the child engaged in online games or videos, leaving very less time to miss his parents.

These parents often ignore the fact that at a tender age when the brain's super active in grasping new things, gets hampered by the constant bombardment of monotonous videos and games.

Future Ready:

Many schools and playschools are trying to keep pace with the super fast running world, which is why to make the children future ready they are adopting technology and technical devices in place of toys for the children to learn new things.

Children once addicted to the technical stuff, it becomes impossible to bring them back to toys which are far away from technology. Use of robotics and remote controlled cars are fun for children till they are broken, after that, they go back to gadgets.

Interdependent Businesses:

Running a business which is dependent on various factors is not easy, it takes huge effort to match the ever-changing demands of customers and the production.

Toy and education businesses are running hand in hand. The toy business is trying to advance with time while keeping the educational factors in mind, same goes with the education business which is facing tough competition to be in the game by adopting technologically driven gadgets in the curriculum to prepare children future ready.

Lack of Space and Safety:

In India especially there are not enough spaces for children to play outside the home without their parents, which is why it is an easy option for the parents to keep their child safe and stay tension free at home.

Thus working parents prefer leaving their kids with nannies or older parents at home with technologically driven gadgets to keep them engaged and safe at the comfort of their home and under the guidance of an elder member, upon whom they can trust. Because non-technical toys ask for a companion to play with and for a lonely child it turns out boring.

When there are fair points to keep a child close to technology, there are many ill effects attached to this new technology fever. To catch up in the race toy companies instead of surrendering to the technology should come up with innovative and interesting units to keep the children engaged and entertained.