Caught between wanting your preschooler to develop coding skills and worrying about too much screen time? This episode tackles that exact parenting dilemma head-on. Dr. Priya Mehta breaks down why children ages 3-5 actually build stronger logic and computational thinking through tactile, physical toys than through apps—and shares exactly what to look for when shopping for screen-free coding toys that will grow with your child over the next 18 months.

• The strongest foundational coding skills at ages 3-5 come from physical manipulation, not screens—when a child watches a robot physically respond to their programmed commands, they're learning debugging and the scientific method in real time on your living room floor.

• Real coding toys require planning before execution, meaning your child arranges a complete sequence  ...