In this computer driven age, many children find their entertainment through electronic games. These can be small hand held units, consoles that plug into a television or games that are played on a computer or through the internet.

Whilst some of these games such as the Leapster Explorer range of toys can offer specific educational goals and experiences and certainly can help improve the computer and technology skills of the younger generation, there is a real danger that more traditional skills are being lost.

Three main areas of concern spring to mind, those of mental dexterity, physical dexterity and the general desire to play outdoors. Even though many parents may feel playing outside has inherent dangers and requires a higher degree of parental supervision the dangers of playing online are potentially greater. Worse still is the fact that parents may not understand the dangers sufficiently to combat online threats and can be lulled into a false sense of security that their child is safe, because they are inside in front of a computer.