Tech Toys for Tots

A less cynical approach to designing online space for kids can be seen at the Zula Patrol exhibit here. The popular science-oriented public television program is collaborating with IBM to launch a membership-driven social networking site called Zula World in May. Presumably the new site won't bombard Junior with advertising. Or, for that matter, get him hooked on a game before demanding money from Mom and Dad if he wants to keep playing—something Buckleitner says sites like Webkinz and Nick Jr. have turned into a science. He's currently drafting a paper for Consumer Reports' WebWatch Group on the topic.

Buckleitner does like toys that aren't necessarily initially designed with kids in mind. Children, after all, love mimicking their parents (which partially explains why companies like Kajeet have begun making cell phones for eight-year-olds). Buckleitner is a big fan of the LED flashlights he's seen at CES: they're a reliable source of light, good for kids afraid of the dark, and they're fun to play with. But he has been most impressed by the Nintendo DS, the touchscreen portable gaming console that sells for just $120. There were more children's products sold for the DS than for the Macintosh in 2007. (In fact, the DS, which debuted only in 2004, came in second behind only Windows.) "It's the huge story for '08," Buckleitner says. "There's now a horse software designers can ride into living rooms across the country, and it's made by Nintendo." Meaning that with a little luck there may be more high-quality educational and recreational offerings for kids on display at next year's CES.

© 2008