Are Child Headphones Worth It?

With the increasing use of technology by younger and younger children, the amount of accessories marketed directly for them is increasing. Everything from child-friend iPad cases to security software for mobile devices and child headphones. These headphones are smaller than most, but still over the ear style. Usually costing the same or slightly more than comparable headphones, it's wise for a parent to shop around and do research before purchasing a pair.

Child headphones are, like I said, smaller to accommodate the smaller cranium sizes of youths making it much more comfortable for a child to wear than larger adult sets. This isn't a big deal for short-term use, but for longer periods like watching a movie in the back seat of a car on a long car trip, it can make a difference, though the exactly amount or type has not been studied thoroughly.

They also have built in volume controls. This is by far my favorite feature of child headphones. I can't tell you how many times I've accidentally blasted my own ears starting some music when the volume had been turned up without me knowing. Built in volume controls mean that even if the device they're plugged into is set to play loudly, the headphones have a maximum level that will lower the volume to a safe level for their ears.

Lastly, they look cool! I mean, check out this pair by DreamGear. With cute pictures and characters on them, children often get attached to their headphones as it allows them to have their set that. This means they'll (theoretically) stay away from your expensive Bose set, and opt for their own.

Practical Tip of the Day:

Be careful giving your child any electronic device or accessory and leaving them unattended. Smaller children may chew on cables or get tangled in the wire. Always exercise common sense and caution when giving your child a new item. I personally did not let my child use her headphones unattended until she was five, and I still do not let her use them for more than 10 minutes at a time except for special occasions like the aforementioned long car trips.

What is Child's Play Charity?

And what does it have to do with technology? Child's Play Charity is a nonprofit started and largely supported by the video game industry and it's community. They raise money to buy toys, books, movies and games for children's hospitals and therapy centers worldwide. Throughout the year donors can either view a specific hospital's Amazon wish list and purchase directly from there, or donate cash to the charity.

Child's Play is a unique charity in that none of the money donated is goes towards upkeep costs. The charity's administrative needs are paid for by the Penny Arcade company, and they are also the founders. (Warning: The Penny Arcade website may contain material that is offensive, and is not for all audiences.)

So now the question of why? Of all the things to donate to, why does Child's Play focus on games for children in hospitals. As anyone who's had to stay in a hospital can tell you, they are b-o-r-i-n-g! That in addition to being scary for children can make for a very bad experience. By giving hospitals the opportunity to have group activities like a Nintendo Wii or board games, they are helping make sure that not only can hospitalized children have something entertaining to do to distract them from their situation, but also provide visiting friends and family members with something to do with them as well.

Last year alone over 3.5 million dollars were raised for Child's Play Charity, and each year they significantly more than the last. Please consider Child's Play Charity when making charitable donation this year.

UPDATE: The creators of Child's Play have recently announced that Child's Play will now be supporting women's shelters as well. "Women's shelters are also often kid's shelters as well." -Mike Krahulik

Practical Tip of the Day:
Donations to Child's Play can be made directly on their webpage, but you can also check out their calendar of events. Many individuals hold fundraising events throughout the year, ranging from competitions to video-game marathons (yes, there is such a thing) and bake sales. If you're going to donate money, why not have some fun with it?

How Much Time Should My Kid Get With Games?

As many times I've been asked this question, I'm still surprised there isn't a universally recommended amount by pediatricians. Some think that video games cause aggression, depression, obesity, and ADD, while others accept it as a common activity for modern children and tout the benefits to problem solving, team work and critical thinking. That being said, here are some things to consider before you let your kid spend all day on video games.

• If they're playing video games, they're not spending time exercising. Even systems that make you move like the Wii or Xbox Kinect don't give you as much exercise as a game of soccer or a walk to the park.
• Video games often involve creative thinking. Games like Minecraft allow children to build things and explore, giving them a fun way to play with engineering, design, and math.
• If you're sitting down you're more likely to munch. Same with adults! If you're sitting still, you're more likely to mindlessly snack, and before you know it, the whole Pringles can is gone.
• Some video games involve extensive reading. Games like Pokemon are text-heavy, and give young children a motivation to read.
• Staring at a screen can hurt your eyes. Looking at a small screen for too long can damage your eyes and give you headaches. Make sure your child keeps the screen a reasonable distance from their face, and that they take frequent breaks to look at something farther away.

All that beign said, I am pro-video-games-in-moderation. I have a young daughter (almost five) that loves to play video games, but she has a limit of 10 minutes a day. She's learned quite a bit from video games, and it's something we enjoy doing together. Playing the games with your children will not only give you bonding time, but will help make sure that you are aware of the type of games they play. Far too often parents let their children play games that the children ask for, but are rated for older players.

Practical Tip of the Day:
Many computers and console systems (e.g. Xbox, Wii, PS3) allow parents to set up time restrictions. You can set a maximum amount of time and sometimes even time-of-day restrictions. This allows you to say "Jimmy can play on the computer for 2 hours on the weekends and 1 hour during the week, but he can't use it after 7pm." Check your owner's manual to see if you have the ability to set up these kinds of limitations.