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A recent Philadelphia Enquirer story highlighted the fact that kids today are putting away their dolls and action figures earlier in favor of online games and social networks. One dollmaker, interviewed for the story, said his company used to make dolls for girls up to 12, now, he says, “By the time they hit 4 or 5, they want a cell phone.”

Using Technology Earlier

We can debate whether this is a positive or negative turn in our culture, but the fact remains that kids are turning to online games much sooner then they were a decade ago. This is due both to the proliferation of high-speed internet into the home and the increased market of online games aimed at children. Case in point, my 6 year-old begs me everyday after school to play Club Penguin, a virtual online environment where he has a cartoon penguin avatar and plays games with other users. When I was 6, if you were lucky enough to know someone with an Atari, you might get to watch an older kid play it.

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