Smart Toys Bringing Childhood Back, Away from Screens

In a small house on the edge of town, five-year-old Lina fought sleep while clutching her new doll. But this time, the doll wasn’t just a silent bundle of cotton. It told her little stories, asked: “What color is the sky tonight?” and sang a lullaby before closing its eyes. Her mother smiled in surprise. There was no need to pull out the tablet or turn on a phone. Play had returned to the warmth of imagination, screen-free.

These scenes are no longer just from cartoons. They are a reality being shaped by technology today. Global companies are racing to bring childhood back to its simple cozy roots, replacing glowing screens with interactions that feel closer to the heart.

Back in 2020, the U.S. company Embodied introduced Moxie, a small robot designed to sit with children as a daily companion, sharing stories, conversations, and playtime. Wired magazine described it then as “more like a household friend than a toy.” Around the same time, Cognimates, supported by MIT, began experimenting with soft plush dolls that could chat with kids and even introduce them to coding in a fun light way.

But toys are not the only concern for parents. That is where smartwatches for kids entered the picture. European company Xplora, followed by Verizon in the U.S. with its GizmoWatch, created wearable devices that allow voice calls and messaging with parental monitoring, giving children freedom of movement without the risks of full smartphones. In 2021, TechCrunch called them “the middle step between innocent play and smart technology.”

The shift is not just in homes. Schools are joining too. In 2023, the UK Department of Education updated its digital curriculum to include artificial intelligence, online safety, and misinformation awareness. Classrooms are slowly becoming safe playgrounds that protect imagination from digital chaos.

Research has also added to this transformation. A Stanford University study in 2024 showed how AI could analyze children’s handwriting to detect dyslexia early, offering support before problems become bigger. Here, technology is not competing with childhood, it is walking alongside it, encouraging learning and giving parents peace of mind.

And when it comes to the market, these options are already within reach:

• Moxie by Embodied is available through Amazon and Target in the U.S. and Europe.

• Xplora watches are sold directly in Europe and through online stores.

• GizmoWatch is available to Verizon customers in the U.S.

• Cognimates remains experimental, but its educational models are already finding their way into classrooms worldwide.

Childhood is returning, not to the past, but to a future that feels warmer and more human. A future where stories are told without screens and children’s laughter rings true.