Coincidentally yesterday I was deeply (but quietly) entertained to watch four children, the oldest about eight, running laps round the block while waving "weapons" and yelling pretend threats to each other. Eventually I heard "I won" and off they went on another mission. They most probably have tvs, games consoles and the like but it's the summer holidays so the young ones go outside. I think young childrens make believe games are still able to work well where there are places to play near home and away from traffic. The biggest problem here is that since the media started making a really big stink over missing children and child molesters, a large proportion of the population took that to mean that there was a sudden upsurge in numbers due to the internet. Not so, we simply weren't very well informed back in the 'dark ages'. So kids don't get to wander as far afield as they once did. Add that to all day childrens tv, not just two hours as I remember, and no wonder younger kids stay in more.

Older children into teenage years seem to be the ones that are surgically attached to xbox and playstation, because by that age they have got quite good. I don't think it's so much because it is a screen, but because the screen is the medium on which the good games are currently played. All that getting out boxes, setting things up, arguing over rules, putting the game away and losing important pieces just can't compete.

So, what I have observed is that younger kinds are more likely to want to be outside playing and don't have all that much interest in stuff on screen, provided that they are encouraged to go out and play. Otherwise they want to sit in front of the 'goggle box' all day. The older they get, the more likely it is that a screen will claim them, but it will probably be an interactive one. And then they want Netflix...

But, some people will always ignore a tv in favour of a book, or they'll do something creative. Not doing that is more down to personality or lack of opportunity when young, not to mere availability of a screen. Some of us (ie me) grew up without tv, read inordinate numbers of books, watched lots of tv as an adult the suddenly! computers! the internet! my creative and artistic mother would be horrified! After all, most people do not have exciting and creative jobs, and those that do seem willing to struggle against all odds to do so. Imagination is not something we all have in abundance. Personally, I'd rather kids learned to use some common sense, but I was always an unusual child :)