Technology has become integral to everyone's daily lives, including children. From TVs at home to curriculums including tech at school, children are exposed to a variety of digital devices and online platforms that shape their learning and entertainment experiences.
While technology offers numerous benefits, there are risks that parents and caregivers must be aware of. All Gold - Mzansi’s No 1 tomato sauce - is a true South African brand with a heritage that is born out of real goodness. This legacy has helped enrich communities, support local farmers, and brought taste delight to countless homes all over South Africa.
Set a screen time
If left unchecked, children can develop an addiction to technology, become anti-social and develop an inability to strengthen their co-ordination abilities. Setting a screen time limit helps foster critical thinking, problem-solving and digital literacy skills in children.
Pop in parental controls
Online platforms and games make it easier to interact with others and make new friends. People meet, socialise, make money and discover new opportunities online. Therefore, safe tech play allows children to become acquainted with all of these things in the safest possible manner, while also protecting them from inappropriate content exposure. Educating children at a young age about the importance of not sharing personal information like their name, contact information and address without parental supervision is critical. Not only is this a personal safety measure, it also ensures that children's information is not shared online, including on unauthorised apps and websites.
Cool, safe games like a Cram-a-Thon
To celebrate All Gold’s heritage this year, South Africans were invited to participate in the first-ever All Gold “Cram-a-Thon”. Participants had to help All Gold find thousands of virtual tomatoes to stand a chance of winning a real grand prize of R50 000 in shopping vouchers, with added daily prizes.
The game promotes learning and cognitive development by allowing children to practise and see how tomatoes are used to make All Gold tomato sauce from scratch in a fun way. It not only promotes cognitive development but also fosters social interaction and teamwork. When children are exposed to such activities, they learn about teamwork, which is an important skill as they grow older. This will help them to freely socialise at school and later when they start working.
All Gold's Cram-a-Thon game is an excellent example of safe tech play, as it provides a fun and educational experience for children while prioritising their safety and well-being. By adopting a proactive approach to safe tech play, we can help children navigate the digital world with confidence and responsibility.