AKTIVNOSTI PREDŠKOLSKOG DETETA NA KOMPJUTERIMA I MOBILNIM UREĐAJIMA

The paper deals with the relations of preschool children (their own perception) toward computers and mobile devices (tablets and smart phones), as well as their activ- ities on these devices. The survey was conducted by interviewing 4-6 year old children in pre-school institutions in Serbia. A total of N = 360 completed questionnaires were collected. The aim of the research is to determine the purposes for which pre-school children use computers and mobile devices, and to consider whether they are primarily educational tools or toys. The children’s replies are analyzed from the perspective of how much parents limit the time their children spend on these devices and wheth- er they are involved in outdoor activities. The research results indicate that although a large percentage of parents limit the time their children spend on computers and mobile devices and allow their children outdoor activities, children fail to use appro- priate contents. Since they perceive these devices primarily as toys, the most popular activities on computers and mobile devices are playing games, watching cartoons and listening to music. Very few children use computers and mobile devices as educational tools. Finally, practical recommendations are given to parents.