It’s amazing how much time has changed, and the things that kids got to experience twenty, even ten, years ago is drastically different from what they experience today. Whereas it used to be pretty exciting to go to birthday parties, play stick ball in the baseball field and even slide in the mud, kids these days are becoming much more tech-savvy and sophisticated with their social circles (aka playgroups).

The folks at Houghton Mifflin Harcourt publishers are helping to develop our social-savvy children of the future with their new computer tablet made especially for preschoolers. It’s called the Fable, and was recently unveiled by the publishers as the hip, new computer-ware for the kiddies. Due to hit stores by summer 2011, the unit has some unbelievable features that are sure to make the kids smile and the parents impressed:

1. Touchscreen capabilities
2. Apps for drawing, reading and gaming
3. Small in size and portable enough for small hands

But what is perhaps the biggest feature of all about Fable is the built-in camera that it has which will let the young users talk to and chat with their friends, as they share pictures and download photos. Preschoolers will get another opportunity with the Fable product to learn and hone social skills as they also develop hand to eye dexterity and program manipulation.

How well will Fable do? Like with anything else, parents need to be sure to monitor the use of the system closely, and to ensure that the kids are using it correctly and appropriately. Aside from that, Fable looks pretty promising as a great educational tool to help preschoolers.

It also wouldn’t be hard to imagine that in the future, Fable will offer internet capabilities and give those youngsters another chance to take their social skills to another level. That would definitely increase Fable’s popularity even more. That is, if the parents don’t hog the unit for themselves!