How New Toys Promote Play Away From Screens

Published: December 26, 2025

By Gavin Boyle

As parents continue to worry about how much time their kids are spending on screens, the toy association is promoting toys that offer new experiences away from digital devices.

“One great option for Barbie fans is this new Barbie Dream camper. It really takes Barbie’s dream house on the go,” explained Jennifer Lynch, Toy Trends Specialist. “With this one, you open it up and you’ve got seven different areas, play areas to go through…But I really like the 60 plus accessories that are included, which include a play component that’s going to change colors. So as kids are pretending to grill on the barbecue, for example, cook up those burgers, it’s going to change colors as kids are cooking their burgers.”

The importance of engaging toys has become even more important over the past decades as children have begun to spend an increasing amount of time on devices. Currently, children younger than 8 average 2.5 hours of daily screen time, while those 5-8 years old spend an average of 3.5 hours every day looking at screens.

View this post on Instagram

This high usage is extremely worrisome as experts have long suggested that children should have as limited screen time as possible, as this time takes away from their development that would normally come through play.

“If kids are on their phones 24/7, it doesn’t help them develop a sense that they can create, understand and generate thoughts and ideas,” said Dr. John Piancentini, a psychologist and professor at UCLA Health.

Meanwhile, parents are spending thousands of dollars to help their children with their technology addictions which have become serious problems even as early as 12 or 13 years old.

“Parents compare managing their kids’ tech to having a second full-time job,” said social psychologist Jonathan Haidt. “They are sending their kids to $8,000/mo detox camps. This speaks to how overwhelmed parents are and how little tech companies and society is doing to support them.”

Haidt has been a strong advocate for play-centered childhood and keeping children off of devices for as long as possible. He previously explained how once devices are introduced, children use all the free time they would traditionally use for play.

“I call smartphones ‘experience blockers,’ because once you give the phone to a child, it’s going to take up every moment that is not nailed down to something else,” he said. “That means that there will be very little other experience other than through the phone. It’s basically the loss of childhood in the real world.”

It is fun that new advancements in toys continue to be made even as more and more children spend more time on their devices rather than with their toys. Hopefully companies will continue to develop experiences that will promote creativity and draw children away from their screens.

Questions or comments? Please write to us here.