Most computerized children's toys are "black boxes" with no way to learn what they do or how they work. Children may be able to program them, but few will really understand the inside of the box, and then only until later.
I stole my child's toys for ART
Toys like the new VTech KidiZoom PrintCam look great. Kids can take pictures and see the results instantly. But can they understand how it works? Inside, it’s just an opaque computer, like the one you’re using to read this article.
Almost all toys and gadgets are automated. We and our children may be able to use them, but we do not understand them.
“Today's kids are born with technology, but that doesn't mean they're naturally adept with it,” Mark Coster, owner and editor of STEM Toy Expert, told Lifewire via email.
