Tales From the e-Marketplace
- Major reasons given by parents for media choices:
- Education
- Entertainment
- Babysitting
- The market for “educational” media and toys for young children is one of the fastest growing in the industry.
- The "developmental" infant/toddler video market alone was over $100 million in 2004.
- For preschoolers, $500 million.
- For all children, $4.8 billion.
- A majority feature licensed cartoon characters, e.g. Disney, SpongeBob.
- Projected to increase, fueled by portable players, e-books, streaming, and apps.
- In a 2005 study, 75% of top 100 infant videos on Amazon.com made explicit educational claims.
- Baby Einstein dominates this category (29%), followed by Nick Jr.
- Regardless of evidence, marketing works:
- 70% of parents say their infants are “less fussy” when viewing.
- 55% say infants are “more focused” when viewing.
- 29% of parents believe having their infants watch videos is “good for their brains.”
- 62% of parents say educational toys like talking books are “very important” to children’s intellectual development.
- Parents are consistently misled about the benefits of “smart” baby videos and electronic toys.
- Educational implications in product names: Baby Einstein®, VTech SmartVille®, Your Baby Can Read!®, Leapster Learning Path®...
- None have been shown to make children smarter, more musical, or mathematically inclined.
- Much advertised skill development is contrary to normal developmental stages, e.g. reading, abstract concepts.
- Benefits cited are a consequence of parental interaction, not the products themselves.
- Pavlovian Play - children push buttons to trigger flashing lights or sounds, rather than truly learn.
- There is evidence of harm (e.g. language delay, obesity, poor social skills) with inappropriate use, especially when parent-child time is sacrificed.
- For children under 2, no evidence supports labeling electronic videos or toys as “educational,” vs. “entertainment.”
- Spurred by a 2004 complaint to the Federal Trade Commission for deceptive marketing practices, in October, 2009, the Baby Einstein Company acknowledged that their videos for infants and toddlers are not educational. Their parent, The Walt Disney Company, offered refunds to parents purchasing Baby Einstein products between 2004 and 2009.
- Video Deficit: Repeated trials show that young children – especially under 2 - learn dramatically less from from video than real-life experiences, e.g. simple demonstrations, instructions, language.
- Don't Count Out the Count! Quality educational (curriculum-based) TV shows, e.g. Sesame Street, have educational value (memory and letter identification) when viewed in appropriate amounts by children 3 - 5 years old.
- Only Sesame Workshop has conducted direct research on their products.
- Elmo is no substitute: Viewing with a parent is always best, and likely is the source of most developmental benefit.
- Citations available upon request.
