Affordable Tablets and the Decline of Toys

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Recommended: Kids toys and their influence

If you spent any time in a toy aisle this past holiday season, you would have noticed a subtle shift starting to occur in toys. The old standby toys are giving way to more modern app-enabled versions. Manufacturers are finding any way they can to update classic toys to engage with modern tablets. Barbie is enabled with cameras that play back via apps, Fisher Price play sets embed them for interactive play, and Lego building sets can be controlled by them. Unless manufacturers embrace and utilize tablets with their products, the tablet will take over the toy market.
Portable and Multifunctional
Today’s portable tablet is the size of a magazine and yet it brings with it all of the functions of books, videos, and music. Beyond that, it is truly a computer and with the right software can simulate just about any toy on the market. A quick review of the applications available show it can act as an art set, musical instrument, interactive doll, puzzle, or just about any board game on the market.
From a parent’s standpoint, there are many benefits to a tablet. It replaces an entire closet of toys and can travel just about anywhere so there is no more arguing over how many toys to pack. There are no more lost pieces and cleanup is a breeze. There are no more emergencies when the batteries run down and the only maintenance needed is an occasional recharge.
Unique and Interactive
The power of the modern tablet enables a level of interactivity not seen in toys before. Books and board games can embed live music and videos to enrich the experience. Works of art can be saved to be modified later or printed out multiple times. Music games can utilize the child’s favorite artists. These are just a few examples of how the tablet ...

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...nd continues to grow at a 20% rate (Cheddar Berk, 2012).
Conclusion
Toys continue to evolve and change with the technology available at the time. The relative affordability of tablets today combined with the portability and multifunctional capabilities poses a real threat to traditional toys. Manufacturers have the opportunity today to embrace the technology and evolve their toys or find themselves left behind as a new generation of companies take over the market.

Works Cited

Cheddar Berk, C. (2012, October 20). Trouble in toyland: Sales are slowing. USA Today. Retrieved from http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2012/10/20/toy-sales-slowing/1644957/
Narey, T. (2010). One thing leads to another: Evolution, play, and technology. Unpublished raw data, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA.
Target. (n.d.). Retrieved December 26, 2013 from www.target.com

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