What Toy Story 5 teaches children and parents about balancing technology and traditional play
What Toy Story 5 teaches children and parents about balancing technology and traditional play
Publish Date: 2026-06-12 04:37:00
Source Domain: www.thenationalnews.com
“As parents, we’re part of the first generation navigating this challenge in real time,” says Sharjah-based executive director Arjun Doney of raising children in the iPad age. “When we were growing up, entertainment was mostly traditional toys, board games, outdoor play and imagination-based activities. The previous generation hasn’t really handed us a road map for managing children’s relationship with technology, so we’re learning as we go.”
Sharing snippets of his family life with wife Tara and daughters Sarah, nine, and Maria, six, with his 542,000 followers and subscribers on Instagram and YouTube, the family-comedy content creator says he has accepted that technology will be a part of his children’s lives. Wishing it away or closing his ears to its influence isn’t an option.
“Our approach has been to expose our children to both worlds,” he says. “We encourage traditional play through board games, soft toys, reading and outdoor activities because these help with creativity, social interaction, attention span and physical activity.
“At the same time, we don’t believe in rejecting technology just because we didn’t grow up with it,” he adds. “Technology is going to be a major part of their future, so it’s our responsibility to help them learn how to use it responsibly rather than avoid it altogether. For us, it’s all about balance.”
Doney’s approach is mirrored in the messaging within Toy Story 5. The latest instalment in the enduring franchise sees Bonnie, the current owner of the toys, receive a smart tablet called Lilypad for her birthday and begin to abandon her traditional toys in favour of the new tech.
The film looks set to tackle a range of themes parents will instantly connect with, including screen time limits and how friendships (and playdates) are affected by technology.
As Jessie laments in the trailer: “I’m losing Bonnie to this device.”
Guidance for parents is key
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