Games consoles, digital cameras, laptops and a bike that plugs into the television are all hot pressies this Christmas. The only surprise - they’re topping Santa’s list for babies and toddlers.

The Smart Cycle - “toddlers sit on the bike and pedal through activities on the TV screen” - V.Smile, a video games console, and Dora’s Laptop are three of the top dozen “dream” presents for preschoolers on the Toy Retailers Association 2007 list. The association says the market for children aged 0-3 is worth £728m, driven by a rise in electronic and digital toys.

Jim Silver, editor of the magazine Toy Wishes, says. “I don’t call it the toy business any more. Big companies are in the children's entertainment business. Young kids are now sitting on their parents’ laps to use the computer from 18 months old. This is the real world.”

“I think it’s a good thing,” he added. “Kids need to be comfortable with technology.”

But the popularity of electronic toys for children under the age of three has sparked alarm.

The American Academy of Paediatrics says undertwos should be kept away from computer and TV screens while British child experts warn that overexposure could be linked to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

Former head teacher Sue Palmer, author of Toxic Childhood, says “There are now computer games for nine-month-olds where they have a joy stick they can operate. It is very worrying. Children are hard-wired to learn through interaction with real human beings. If they do not get this in the critical first three to six years of their life their learning and possibly personality will be impeded. I think it’s irresponsible of manufacturers to be putting these toys out for young children.”

Parents though are discovering that when it comes to the world of electronic toys, children grow up fast. Jessica Morgan’s son, Joseph, 4, has a long list of PlayStation games, including quiz games for older children, on his Christmas list. Morgan, of Essex, says: “He also has a V.Smile with Bob the Builder and Winnie the Pooh games, but now he considers this a baby toy.”

Additional reporting: Amanda Blinkhorn

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