Screen Time Concerns Grow As Families Reconsider The Value Of Imaginative Play In Childhood

In a brief but powerful moment, the beloved toys watch helplessly as children become absorbed in tablets and digital devices, sidelining imaginative play. The scene has struck a deep chord, reigniting a global conversation that feels especially urgent in 2026. As nostalgia meets reality, the film is prompting families to reflect on whether screens are quietly replacing the simple, creative joys of traditional childhood play.

“The conversation goes far beyond a movie plot,” says Catherine Jacoby, marketing manager at Toys R Us South Africa. “It reflects how childhood has evolved over the past two decades as digital devices and online entertainment have become more present in many children’s lives.”

The rise of screen time

Research shows children are spending more time on screens than ever before. Experts advise no screen time for children under one, while the World Health Organization recommends limiting recreational screen use to two hours per day for children aged five to 17. Yet many exceed these limits. Studies suggest South African children may spend up to nine hours daily on screens, particularly on smartphones, gaming platforms and social media.

Jacoby says affordable mobile-data and streaming services have dramatically reshaped how children interact with entertainment.

For many parents, she explains, finding the right balance between technology and play can be challenging. “Play is not a luxury, it is an essential part of childhood development. While screens can be educational and practical, children still need time for imaginative, hands-on play to build creativity, confidence and social skills.”

Why play still matters

Child-development specialists consistently emphasise the importance of physical play in building creativity, social skills and gross motor skills.

“Open-ended play, where children invent their own stories and scenarios, strengthens creativity, problem-solving and collaboration,” Jacoby explains. “Play is how children make sense of the world. Through play they experiment, solve problems, collaborate with others and develop confidence.

“While technology is part of modern childhood, physical toys still offer something irreplaceable - the freedom for imagination to lead,” she says. “Through play, children learn, dream and connect with the world around them. That’s why the renewed conversation sparked by Toy Story 5 resonates with many parents who are already questioning how much screen time is healthy.”

The power of nostalgia

She notes another reason the trailer has struck such a chord is nostalgia. “For the generation who grew up watching Woody and Buzz Lightyear in the late 1990s and early 2000s, the franchise represents a childhood shaped by imagination and storytelling and toys rather than algorithms and endless scrolling,” she says. “Now many of those same fans are parents themselves.”

That shift she adds, creates an interesting tension: “Parents want their children to enjoy the same magical play they remember, yet they are raising kids in a digital-first world.”

Parenting in the age of devices

Jacoby explains that modern parenting is also more complex than it was two decades ago. “Digital devices have become part of modern life. They can be useful tools for learning and communication, but they shouldn’t replace meaningful play or simply be used as a way to keep children occupied.”

She says the challenge for families is not eliminating technology entirely, but finding a healthier balance between screen time and hands-on play.

Experts often recommend simple strategies and small habits to help families strike a healthier balance. These include setting daily screen-free play windows, encouraging toys that spark creativity, and making play a shared family activity rather than a solitary one.

She adds an important part of this is parents actively participating in play themselves. “Play shouldn’t only be something children do on their own. When parents make time to play with their children it strengthens connection and models the importance of play in everyday life,” she says.

Jacoby encourages families to consciously make time for play. “Sometimes it starts with a simple commitment or ‘pledge to play’ - setting aside even small moments each day where devices are put down and families reconnect through play.”

A conversation worth having

“Technology will continue to evolve,” she adds. “Screens are unlikely to disappear, but the enduring message of the Toy Story franchise — that toys come to life through imagination — still feels relevant.”

She notes that if the online reaction to the trailer is anything to go by, it is a conversation parents everywhere are ready to have. “Perhaps that is the real story the film is hinting at: in a world full of screens, imagination still needs space to play,” Jacoby concludes.