Information Week has an article stating that “according to the NPD group, children are becoming more tech-savvy, with children as young as 2 years old downloading content to cell phones, computers, and portable digital music players.”

Now, I agree with the part where “about 15% of 2- to 5-year-olds use cell phones“, because my little guy is always on my phone. However, it takes forever and a lot of work to get my phone to download anything….. as for the computer, he can’t work the mouse that well yet, he can click but isn’t too great about pointing, so figuring out on his own to go to his web page and download something is probably beyond his physical coordination (certainly not beyond him mentally, this little guy thinks up all kinds of unique things!).
He’s banned from our iPods as he likes to throw them, altho he is allowed to watch movies on the video one on trips (he loves the earphones and hooks them into his little ears all by himself).

So… tech-savvy, yes, but I think it’s going to be more like 3 and 4 years before he’ll be downloading. What do you think??

Lil’ Duck would love to be on the computer all day, between the keyboard, the things on the screen and the mouse! Here are some of his favorite websites:

• Clifford - his favorite character, this has various stories and games about the big red dog (Scholastic).
• Starfall - teaches letters with fun music
• Kneebouncers
• Fisher-Price Learn your ABC’s
• Fisher-Price Online Games and Activities
• Fisher-Price Coloring Book
• Sesame Street - who doesn’t love Elmo?
• Nick Jr.
• All things Barney - Lil’ Duck is forbidden from this site as his mama can’t stand Barney, but others might not be so annoyed…. ha!

Just for fun (no redeeming educational value ;)):

• Kittenwar! - choose the little one’s favorite cat!

If you have Windows, you can also download BabySplat which looks like lots of fun (now where is my Mac version? ;)).

Added from comments - Heather’s very own toddler portal….

Have another favorite that isn’t listed here? Let me know!

I never learn. The other day, I left half of a chocolate bar on a shelf above my couch, and the little duck found it. He had to climb onto the back of the couch and stretch up to the shelf, but he got it. This resulted in chocolate decorating my light beige couch, the baby, my carpet, and the coffee table.

Chocolate is not my favorite food, but I do enjoy a bit of it on occasion. The little duck must have gotten this taste from his father, who loves all things sugary and otherwise nasty. Of course, he also loves plain rice cakes, so who can tell?

Today I was attempting to actually clean my house, but I left part of a chocolate-covered breakfast bar on the computer desk. You would think I would have learned by now - apparently not only does he love the taste of chocolate, but he delights in the mess that it makes. So now my keyboard has chocolate smears all over it and my monitor has various daubs of chocolate as well. I hope my computer is hungry.