Screen time crisis: Experts warn disappearing traditional toys harming children's brains

As screen time rises in households across Kenya and beyond, early childhood experts are sounding the alarm over the growing disappearance of traditional toys from children’s lives.

New findings suggest that the type of toy a parent buys, or even makes at home, plays a significant role in a toddler’s brain development, creativity, and social growth.

A long-running US-based study known as TIMPANI (Toys that Inspire Mindful Play And Nurture Imagination), conducted by Eastern Connecticut State University, has offered new insights that resonate even in Kenyan contexts, from Nairobi apartments to village compounds.

Researchers observed 60 children aged 3–4 in preschool settings as they played with over 100 different types of toys.

Their goal: to understand which toys best support language development, attention span, creativity, and problem-solving.

Simpler toys, smarter play

The findings were surprising: toys with flashing lights or pre-recorded music often performed poorly.

Instead, the most effective toys were simple, open-ended, and encouraged imagination.

“The less a toy does, the more a child’s brain has to work,” said Dr. Jeffrey Trawick-Smith, lead researcher in the TIMPANI study. “A basic wooden block outperformed many of the high-tech toys on the market.”

That simplicity principle is echoed in Kenyan homes.

From clean plastic containers to spoons, shoes, cups and sticks, children regularly turn everyday objects into tools of imagination.

Experts say this kind of play not only reduces dependency on screen-based entertainment but also builds critical life skills.

What makes a toy "good"?

The TIMPANI study identified three key features of high-quality toys:

Simple – A toy that does not play music or light up forces a child to invent its use.

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Open-ended – Toys that can be used in multiple ways, like blocks or pretend kitchen sets, allow for more creativity.

Non-realistic – Items that do not mimic real-world objects exactly (like a unicorn doll) push children to tell stories and think abstractly, since they don't exist in the real world.

In homes across Kenya, versions of these toys are already in use, often made from recycled or locally available materials. Children in places like Kibera, Rongai, or Eldoret routinely use fabric scraps, sticks, and mud in their play, often with no manufactured toys in sight.

You will find boys making a makeshift football from a rope and plastic paper or fabrics, girls and boys play cha-mama made from plastic bottles, sufurias and tree branches.

Some Kenyan parents are now intentionally reducing screen time and shifting back to simple toys.

“My daughter plays with sticks and bottle tops more than the expensive tablet we bought,” said Grace Kamau, a mother of two in Ruiru.

“Since cutting down on screens, I’ve seen her vocabulary and storytelling improve. She builds her own world.”

Even without access to branded toys, parents can create effective play experiences.

Toy artisans in Kariobangi and Kawangware are increasingly making wooden blocks, metal cars for pushing, puzzles, and animal figurines. Secondhand markets like Gikomba also offer low-cost options made from recycled materials.

As Kenya’s urban centres expand and more children gain access to screens, early childhood experts are encouraging parents to reintroduce toys that foster hands-on, creative play.

“Whether you shop at Toy World, Toi Market, or your local duka,” they said.

“Just remember that a good toy doesn’t entertain your child, it builds their brain.”

When you buy toys, or make them, think about how they support your children in terms of creativity, focus and attention, problem solving, social skills and storytelling.