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 AI, Babies, and Holiday Gifts.


At what age should a child have a phone or smart device? The “accepted rule” seems to be 12–13, but almost half of the kids now get them at 10. But how about if I suggested birth? Maybe a month old? No? Silly question? Not really. Because ready or not, technology, and especially AI, is marching straight into your child’s life this year through Holiday gifts that blur the line between toy and "bestie".

“Child’s play” is about to go through an existential transformation, and parents should think before they jump into the abyss. Here’s a blurb lifted straight from one AI-toy product page: “Through your child’s regular interactions with it, (cuddly toy) will develop its own unique personality. The depth of its emotional expression makes (cuddly toy) an advanced AI robot that offers a rich bond of companionship and comfort for your child.” And the ads insist your child will bond with it for life. For life.

Cuddly Toy that creates a friendship


Cuddly Toy that  creates imagination

We’re entering a world where your child’s dolls, plush toys, and play toys won’t just be soft, cute, and maybe capable of playing a tune. They’ll listen to your child. They’ll talk with them, interact with them, read them stories, provide emotional support, offer advice, and even help with their homework. The best (or most concerning) part? The toy never tells them they’re wrong. It agrees with their every decision. Imagine being six years old and your best friend never tells you - ahhhhhh, that may not be a great idea... 😬

Or, they can play with toys that they learn from, bond with, and create their own stories. 


I’m thinking that handing off a baby’s or young child’s emotional development to an AI toy feels… risky. Parents should do their research and recognize these aren’t just “snuggly” companions, they’re computers designed to socially interact with your child. If you wanted to, other than feeding and cleaning them, you could probably outsource early and middle year parenting to these devices.

I admit it, I had a stuffed bear when I was little. It growled when I pressed its stomach. But that bear let me use my imagination, it didn’t analyze my feelings or give me life advice. We did have some interesting conversations though. 🧸

A baby’s job is literally to play with things they can chew on, shake, rattle, and toss. Literally. The profession of a child is to play, to invent worlds, games, rules, and stories with other kids. That’s how cognitive, emotional, social, and communication skills develop.

Phones are another conversation entirely—and to be clear, this isn’t an anti-phone message. Those are devices that give kids instant contact, educational apps, and immediate access to anything they want to know. Their lives will be digital, and they need to be fluent in it. I’m all in on that.

But the downside is real. The research says phones have harmed kids’ mental health. They’re losing critical face-to-face experiences and replacing them with screen-to-screen interaction. It’s such a time-suck that apps now exist solely to limit screen time. And yes, at 10 or 12, you can push (okay, strongly push) your kids habits and set boundaries—even if there’s loud whining involved.

Which brings us back to toys.

Chess, one of the all time great games to learn strategy and thinking ahead. You're kids will be taught to think, but the machine won't think for them. 

If toys are the tools through which children develop, then parents need to decide, years before their kids can argue about it, what and how and when they want their children interacting/playing with this technology. But more importantly make the decision now, when they can’t whine that all their friends have them. That phase doesn’t last long, don't blow your chance.

So the question this Holiday Season? Should parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and everyone else start gifting AI-powered toys to the youngest generation?

Please comment below and let us know what you think! 

If you click on a product link in any of our Blogs and make a purchase you’ll be buying directly from that store and we will receive a commission on any products purchased. The purchase price isn't affected and the store will be responsible for all things involved in that order.


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