This New York Times article (free, registration required) takes a serious look at the explosive use of electronic “learning” toys such as Leapster and V.Smile.  It seems these newfangled gizmos may not be harmful, but they should be put in context.  One expert from the Kaiser Foundation said ‘“If parents are thinking, ‘I need a break, I’ll put my 4-year-old in front of this nice harmless video,’ that’s one thing,” she continued, “But if parents are thinking, ‘This is good for my 3-month-old, it will help her get ahead in the world,’ that’s another.“‘

Personally, I’m not a big fan of educational media products, because my kids don’t like to follow the prescribed order - they get so interested in which buttons do what that they miss the learning potential.  When I try to encourage proper use, a disagreement begins that would not have happened if we were using pencil and paper.  Other kids may have more success with this method, and I very much believe that each family and child must find their own best practices.  Regardless of how your little one responds, this is a very thought-provoking article, and highlights the current focus on educational media, even in children as young as 3 months.  Take a look, see what you think, and then create your own mix of learning tools.  After all, this media is supposed to help us, not define us.