Old tire swing, Fromberg, Montana.

old tire swing
Originally uploaded by ken e williams photos

When kids didn't have lots of manufactured stuff, they, with their family and friends, used their imaginations and what was available to invent the entertainment they needed. They were rarely bored.

In 1955 the Mickey Mouse Club was first broadcast. Children could sit in front of a screen, see products that were pitched on commercials which were aimed at convincing the kids they "needed" stuff. Those watching did not need to use their imagination or talk to each other or improvise play or police their activity.

Current research and the common sense confirms that children under the age of two who watch videos and television hours each day will experience a delay in language development and have fewer social skills. Is it difficult to understand the reason so many children are now being diagnosed with forms of autism and attention deficit disorders?

Go here to listen to NPR story on play or here for a University of Washington study on the effects of television on language development.