By Annalise Kempen
Photo courtesy of Roman Odintsov, Pexels
We live in a tech-driven world with an estimated 70% of the global population relying on mobile services for communication, commerce and access to digital platforms (GSMA Intelligence, 2026). Children are part of our tech-driven world, and in 2019 the first announcements about a “tech overhaul” in the South African school education system were made, including the use of tablets and the introduction of robotics for primary school learners (Business-Tech, 2019) in preparation for the 4th Industrial Revolution (4IR). Judging by these statements, it seemed that the days when dolls and cars were children’s preferred toys may be over.
Many parents wonder how to prepare their children for the 4th Industrial Revolution, which is marked by rapid technological breakthroughs in fields such as artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, the Internet of Things (IoT), quantum computing and biotechnology (Hanna and Wignore, 2025). Some consider that giving their children early access to technology by buying tech toys or gadgets may give them an advantage in their future education and careers.
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[This is only an extract of an article published in Servamus: August 2026. This article is available for purchase.]