The poll of more than 1,000 parents of children aged three and above by shopping comparison website Kelkoo, revealed that 86 per cent of five- to seven-year-olds know how to use a computer, while only 49 per cent can swim, 56 per cent tell the time and 60 per cent are able to ride a bike.
According to parents, almost half of three- to four-year-olds own at least one technical device and 27 per cent have a games console. Many of the children also had digital cameras and MP3 players.
When asked if their children owned an internet enabled device, nearly half of parents said they did. However, 21 per cent confessed to not setting parental controls to ensure their child’s online safety. This increased to 29 per cent for parents of children aged five. Along with this, nearly half of parents said that they don’t always check the gadgets they are buying for their children are age-appropriate.
The findings of the survey also indicated that on average children aged three to 12 years old received £1,330 worth of technology in the last year alone.
A spokesperson for Kelkoo said, ‘On the whole, the use of technology amongst children is definitely a positive thing as it’s an invaluable tool for both education and development.
‘However, excessive use can leave little time to learn basic skills such as telling the time or riding a bike, not to mention key social skills such as forming relationships. When it comes to safety there are several issues facing parents. With gadgets such as games consoles, smart phones and some MP3 players offering access to the internet, some parents may not fully understand the capability of each device.’
