CFC 22: Technology activities for young children

CFC 22 looks at technology toys and activities suitable for young children and how they support learning and development. The links on this page cover age-appropriate examples, benefits for children, expected learning, and how technology activities can support physical, intellectual and language development. This introduction helps you keep the focus clear: technology in early years is not only screens—it includes everyday devices and simple toys that children can explore safely with adult support.

Technology is part of children’s daily lives. Young children see phones, tablets, remote controls, kitchen timers, doorbells, and speakers at home and in the community. In early years practice, technology activities should be age-appropriate, supervised, and balanced with plenty of active, hands-on play. The aim is to support learning, not to replace interaction or outdoor experiences.

This unit asks you to list technology toys or activities for babies under 12 months, young children aged 1 to 2 years, and young children aged 3 to 5 years 11 months. For babies, technology play is often about cause-and-effect and sensory feedback, such as pressing a button to hear a sound on a sturdy toy, or exploring a simple light-up activity with close supervision. For 1 to 2 years, children may enjoy pushing buttons, turning dials, and copying adult behaviour using toy phones or simple interactive books. For 3 to 5 years, children may use programmable toys, simple cameras, audio recorders, or basic interactive games that support turn-taking and problem-solving, always with appropriate limits and adult guidance.

You will also identify the benefits for the child of an activity in each age range. Benefits often include understanding cause and effect (“If I press this, it plays a sound”), improving fine motor skills (pressing, swiping, turning), building attention, and developing language (naming objects, copying words, following simple instructions). For older children, technology can also support early problem-solving and sequencing, such as working out which button makes a toy move.

The second part of the unit looks at expected learning and how technology supports development. Physical development may be supported through fine motor control and hand-eye coordination. Intellectual development can be supported through predicting outcomes, remembering steps, and solving simple problems. Language development can be supported when adults talk with children about what they are doing, introduce new words, and encourage turn-taking and listening.

Here’s a practice example: a toddler uses a simple interactive sound book. The adult sits alongside, names pictures, repeats key words, and follows the child’s interest (“You found the cow—moo!”). The technology is supporting learning, but the adult interaction is what makes it truly valuable. Another example: in a pre-school room, children use a simple programmable toy that moves forward with button presses. The adult supports by encouraging children to predict where it will go, take turns, and describe steps (“Press forward two times”).

It’s also important to think about safe, healthy use. Technology toys should be suitable for the child’s age, in good condition, and used with supervision. In practice, this also means balancing technology activities with plenty of physical play, social interaction, and outdoor time. If screens are used in a setting, they should be used purposefully and in line with policies, with attention to appropriate content and time limits.

As you work through the links on this page, keep your examples grounded in practical early years settings and show that you understand development, safety and balance. By the end of CFC 22, you should be able to list suitable technology toys or activities across the age ranges, describe benefits and expected learning, and explain how technology activities can support physical, intellectual and language development when used in a thoughtful, supervised way.

1. Know technology toys or activities for young children.

2. Know how technology toys or activities support children’s learning and development.

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