I recently read an article in the WSJ Online that reviewed a Fisher-Price e-reader for kids. I took an interest as a parent, bookstore owner, and someone who loves, loves, loves to read. Are e-readers for kids a good idea? Are we allowing our kids to move away from true learning by making everything a game on a computer or other digital device? Or, is reading on an e-reader truly the same as reading from a book?
I am a proponent of tech-savvy kids. I think it is a great thing and absolutely critical to navigate our ever-increasingly technological world. However, the part of me that knows the wonderful pleasure of picking up a great book does not want my child to miss out on that opportunity. At the risk of sounding a bit melodramatic, will homes be void of bookshelves filled with great books that you can pick up at a moment’s notice without waiting for them to download?
Here’s my unofficial Pros and Cons List for E-readers. I’m sure I will re-visit this topic again in the future and more kid’s toy companies are developing e-readers.
Pros
1. Encourage reading in kids who otherwise may not read.
2. Portable, allows kids to carry around multiple books at a time.
3. Potentially a great way to decrease the back strain of carrying multiple textbooks for school and decrease the cost to schools of purchasing textbooks.
Cons
1. The tactile experience of reading is a great way for a parent and young child to bond.
2. E-readers take some of the challenge out of reading when the child can merely touch the screen to hear the word pronounced or find out its meaning.
3. Expense. Books are relatively cheap compared to the price of an e-reader and downloads.
4. Illustrations in books for kids are beautiful, enhance the reading experience, and cannot be duplicated on a computer screen.
I am sure there are many more pros and cons. What’s your take?
