The Allure of the Anti-Screen-Time Toy
The article discusses the rise of high-tech toys designed to alleviate parental guilt over screen time. One such toy, Bondu, is a stuffed dinosaur that uses AI to engage children without screens. These toys are marketed as safe alternatives that can entertain and educate children while addressing concerns about excessive screen exposure.
- ▪Bondu is a stuffed dinosaur that speaks 27 languages and can play games and help with homework.
- ▪The toy is marketed as a screen-free alternative to traditional electronic devices, addressing parental concerns about screen time.
- ▪A survey found that many parents feel guilty about their children's screen time, leading to a demand for alternatives like Bondu.
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FamilyThe Allure of the Anti-Screen-Time ToyThey're still high-tech—but they alleviate a very specific Millennial guilt.By Ellen CushingIllustration by Cécile CunyMay 27, 2026, 9:38 AM ET ShareSave Bondu is a stuffed dinosaur that speaks 27 languages. It—or, more precisely, the AI chatbot embedded inside it—can also play games, help with homework, and patiently answer a child’s questions, even the really inane ones. Its “bedtime mode” includes breathing exercises and stories. Bondu, which costs $300 and comes in four colors, is marketed as a playmate, a confidant, a teacher, a quasi-caregiver.
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Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at The Atlantic.
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