If you are a parent and are thinking of buying your child an iPad for Christmas then the expense may not end there.
Because people who study these things are predicting that toys which connect to iPads are going to be among the “must have” childrens’ gifts for Christmas.
Toys which have been specially designed to work with iPads include remote controlled helicopters, robots and even toy cars which can be driven on the iPad’s screen.
Even Furby, one of the original electronic animal toys, is set to be re-released with an accompanying iPad app.
The toys, such as a car or an action figure, are placed on the tablet’s screen and interact with an app running on the tablet.
Special conductive paint applied to small areas on the toy’s base, allow the iPad to track the toys accurately.
Recent research in the UK and the United States found 39 per cent of adults who own an iPad have downloaded an app for children aged six to 11.
Parents are also increasingly downloading apps – another study said parents download an average of 6.8 apps for children aged three to eight every three months.
Dr Amanda Gummer, a psychologist specializing in play and parenting, said: ‘Today’s children are growing up with technology and expect it in many of their playthings.
“Combining a physical toy with the excitement of an app and the contemporary appeal of an iPad is a completely new way for kids to play.”
Via: Daily Mail
