Preventing Kindergarten Dummies and Social Morons

"Retailers are promoting more products to younger kids as the older kids put down their toys and turn to video games." — David Manga, Outset Media

According to Kathy Oxley, founder of Preschool Prep Company (ToyShow), research shows there is a direct correlation between kids falling behind in reading skills in the 2^nd grade and dropping out of high school. So how can this be prevented with pre-K learning?

“Children learn thousands of words through their developing speech pathways very easily at an early age. [Toddlers] know who Scooby-Doo is, why not letters?” Oxley argued. "If we make them curious about letters, they will learn letters. They are just ‘animals’ of a different kind."

She completed a two-month study of more than 50 babies and toddlers, who watched her video, “Meet the Letters.” More than 90 percent developed complete upper and lowercase letter recognition. Many of the older kids (age 2 to 4) learned in less than two weeks. Of those younger than 2 years, 70 percent mastered the alphabet.

If it’s so easy to learn at such a young age, why then, should parents worry about their child’s pre-K education? Some would argue video games are to blame. And, they would argue, the games are affecting more than a child’s capacity to prepare for a formal school education.

Ahuvh Geffner, game creator of Geffner Ltd.-Play and Learn, sees a focus on toddlers’ concentration and social communication as key “at a time when electronic devices [TV, computers] have taken over the world of the child from a very early age.” He added that family time is very important and that parents need to “learn to play so their children can play to learn.”

In fact, David Manga, president of Outset Media (ToyDirectory), pointed out that an increased emphasis on early education products might be just what the toy industry needs. “Because of age compression, retailers are promoting more products to younger kids as the older kids put down their toys and turn to video games.”

“It’s definitely a trend in traditional toy-making because with older kids, they’re more interested in video games,” agreed Jason Cheung, sales manager at Huntar Company Inc. (ToyDirectory) “The alternative is to make more toys for younger kids.”

Others in the toy industry would argue that an increased emphasis on a child’s early education is less about clever marketing than it is about changing social demographics.

According to Lisa Bogart Carvajal, founder and president, TOTO Products, parents are finally beginning to understand how to negotiate the dual income parent dynamic that has become the national norm. “I think that in the United States, when it comes to discipline, parent involvement and being on track in school, those things have really disintegrated. Now we’re getting more organized.”

“It used to be that most people’s moms stayed at home and kids would play with each other as part of play groups,” said Jakki Liberman, owner and president, Bumkins Finer Baby Products. These days, “with good childcare, hopefully [kids] keep stimulated. If not, then the kid has a harder time.”

This may lie at the core of what has been spurring increased concern over early education needs. When parents can’t be there to keep watch, then who is?

Good daycare, Erika Radich, marketing manager of Douglas Cuddle Toys (ToyShow), pointed out, can be a boon. “Daycare often comes in the form of preschool, so when children enter kindergarten, the bar for readiness has been raised.” She stressed that learning social skills is as important as learning cognitive skills.

And for those that haven’t been lucky enough to receive good daycare or preschooling, many fear, those children could fall behind. The following products are here to help early learners get a leg up.