Screens take over childhood games

Modern technology has not only transformed human life but also made it more complex, eroding our cultural traditions, customs, and the spirit of childhood play. A quiet yet profound cultural shift is unfolding within households as children’s ways of playing change dramatically.

According to details, the once-familiar scene of little girls making dolls, stitching their clothes, brushing their hair, and talking to them is rapidly fading into the past. Today’s children, instead of asking for dolls, demand mobile phones. In their hands are not dolls but digital screens — where they play games, watch cartoons, or scroll through endless videos. Once, a doll was far more than a toy; it was a symbol of love, imagination, and innocence.

Mothers used to lovingly sew tiny frocks for their daughters’ dolls, and through that, daughters learned the values of care, gentleness, creativity, and domestic responsibility. But now, that emotional connection is fading in the glare of technology.

In the past, boys would play outdoor games with neighbourhood friends — Ludo, carom board, chess, marbles, tip-cat (gilli danda), cricket with a tape ball, hopscotch, or running games in the streets and courtyards. These activities, once part of daily life, have now become memories. Excessive use of mobile phones, tablets, and laptops is leading children toward physical and mental health issues such as neck pain, eye strain, and even psychological stress.

Executive Director of Lok Virsa, Dr Waqas Saleem, said culture is the foundation of our identity. “The doll culture reflected the imagination, love, and social consciousness of young girls. But the mobile phone has isolated them, emotionally and socially,” he lamented.

Ambreen, a renowned artisan from Rawalpindi, said she has been making handmade cloth dolls for the past twenty years, selling them at Lok Virsa and other exhibitions. “Now girls rarely want dolls,” she said. “They prefer mobile phones.”

Saima Fazal, a mother, shared, “My daughter never asked for a doll; she only insisted on having a mobile because all her cousins had one. I often think how beautiful those days were when girls stitched clothes for their dolls and played house games together.”

The tradition of girls playing with dolls has virtually disappeared. Dr Kamil Tarar observed that in today’s fast-paced world, children’s priorities have become modern too. “Just a few years ago, girls used to invite their neighbourhood friends or cousins home to play with dolls, which fostered social bonds and shared joy,” he said.

“Now the same girls are isolated on their phones. This has led to growing irritability, loneliness, and emotional distance among children.”

Experts warn that this shift could have long-term impacts on children’s social development.