TLDR; No. Any one toy cannot be “good” or “bad.” There’s way more to it.

There is a (recurring) debate online about light up toys versus wooden, non-battery operated toys. This discussion is so interesting and gets very heated! I want to tone down the heat a little bit and give you a clear look at what the research says and how we can interpret it.

Let’s also remember that while research is super helpful and lays the foundation for recommendations and clinical practice, it is not the end-all be-all. What works for one family will not work for every family and this is ok! Grains of salt are everywhere, so let’s take them with us on this journey.

Do Light Up Toys Cause Language Delays?

No. Remember, we can’t say that any one thing directly causes another- so off the bat, a statement like this is plain wrong.

Why do people say that light up toys cause language delays? Most of the time, they are referring to a 2015 study from JAMA Pediatrics that found “that infants who play with tech toys featuring flashing lights and computerized talking and music- instead of traditional wooden playthings- tend to have a decreased quality and quantity of language.” (1)

Now, reading that you may immediately jump to TECH TOYS CAUSE BABIES NOT TO TALK! THROW ALL LIGHT UP TOYS IN THE TRASH!

No. Not true. You have to keep reading the article.

“While playing with electronic toys there were fewer adult words used, fewer conversational turns with verbal back-and-forth, fewer parental responses and less production of content-specific words than when playing with traditional toys or books.” (1)

That means that parents were LESS LIKELY to talk to their little one while they were playing with a light up toy.

The toy wasn’t causing less communication, the toy was impacting how parents engaged with their child.

Is there an argument to be made that wooden toys that don’t make sounds or have music are more likely to prompt a caregiver to sing, model sounds, or fill the silence with their own voice? Absolutely. Are wooden, “open-ended,” and silent toys more likely to prompt a parent to interact with their baby? Maybe!

But, are light up toys causing babies not to talk? No. BUT, they might be discouraging a parent from using their own voice during play routines, and that’s something important to know.

My son, Paul, 10 months old. Playing with his light-up table and train.

Independently Playing with Toys

Toy makers are marketers. Every ad for toys seems to have the phrase “great for independent play,” which gives the parent the idea that ALL play (or most of it) should be independent. Or that independent play should be the ultimate goal.

It’s not.

LEARNING is the ultimate goal.

Sadly, many of the toy companies that are marketing their toys as “great for independent play” are those toys that light up, sing songs, etc. Yes, those toys are eye-catching! They stimulate your child and motivate them to keep hitting buttons so they can dance and hear the song again. There is nothing wrong with that type of toy, but should we be encouraging littles to play alone with those type of toys as their primary way of play? Given what the research says, I don’t think so. Those toys are actually best played with when a caregiver is present.

Do Babies Learn When Playing Alone?

Think about if you left your little one alone in a room to play for an hour. Would they learn things? Maybe! Maybe they would learn how to open and close toys, or move about their environment, dance, or clap.

But would they hear any language models? Would they engage in social interactions? Would they see how YOU play with the toy in different ways? Would they get ideas from how YOU play and try new things themselves? I’m going to say no, they wouldn’t.

Yes, babies can learn when playing alone. But, playing WITH your child to some degree is encouraged across all toys. So knowing that light up toys can limit language interactions between parents and babies, I’d say parents should aim to play with their child when they are engaging with light up and battery operated toys. Since there is a risk for less language to be spoken, parents can be aware of that and make a conscious effort to model and engage more with those toys.

So, it’s not a question on if toys are good or bad, it’s focusing on HOW parents are engaging with their child while they play.

Play together first, play independently second.

Yes, we all need a few minutes to pee, chop up fruit, or fold the laundry, and it is totally fine to let your little one play alone (yes, even with battery-operated and light up toys). If your little one is on a mission to play with something and is focused and engaged alone- awesome! Leave them be and wait for them to come back and find you to play!

But, it’s important to note that especially in early infancy, a good OVERALL balance of playing WITH your child and letting them explore should be the goal.

Babies can best play independently once they have played WITH you.

My son, Paul, 10 months old, playing with a wooden activity cube.

How to Best Play with Your Baby

How YOU, the parent, play with your little one is what matters most. If your baby LOVES the light up train (like both of my kids do), add functional language and play WITH your little one. Engage the same way you would while reading a book, stacking blocks, or playing with a cardboard box.

If you’re unsure how to play with a light-up toy, simply take away the light-up and sound features by taking the batteries out! Play with it first without all of that added in, and then pop the batteries back in when you feel better about the language you should model.

It’s ok to play with ANY toy. It’s just very important to know that the toy is NOT teaching your child. You are.

Speaking of toys… have you seen our Free Ultimate Toy Guide?

Hundreds of toys and thousands of ways to play with them. For FREE.

Sources:

“Association of the Type of Toy Used During Play With the Quantity and Quality of Parent-Infant Communication” by Anna V. Sosa, PhD in JAMA Pediatrics. Published online December 23 2015 doi:10.1001/jamapediatrics.2015.3753