TECHNOLOGY — love it or hate it, it's definitely here to stay.

I've admitted more than once that I'm not brilliant with anything involving a computer, or, if I'm honest, anything remotely “hi-tech”.

But even I can see the huge benefits it can bring.

You can now chat to someone face-to-face on the other side of the world, for free, at the flick of a button.

Messages can reach millions, if not billions, of people in a matter of seconds thanks to the immense power of social media.

And any piece of information can be at your fingertips, wherever you are, following the advent of not only the internet, but the myriad of devices you can carry round in your pocket with which to access t'interweb.

Although one of the things I think the relentless and all-consuming march of technology through our lives is hampering is good, old-fashioned imagination.

I had the treat of reading with my lovely three-year-old god-daughter on a recent visit.

Now, obviously I am biased, but I genuinely think she's smarter than the average toddler.

She's already completed most of the “homework” in her “wow box” — a cardboard box given to her by school, which she has to fill with her achievements, like learning to do her coat up, making friends and tying her shoelaces — and loves nothing more than having a read of her favourite books, The Mr Men.

This week was the turn of Little Miss Giggles, and halfway through this particular book, a slightly cross Millie bemoaned the fact the pictures and words “didn't move” — I admit had wondered why she kept stroking it.

I finally realised she was so used to reading things on her mum's phone and tablet she simply could not understand why this square piece of paper didn't move either.

To be fair, a quick explanation and she was happy once more but it really got me thinking about the magical world youngsters are missing out on.

When I was a nipper I loved nothing more than disappearing into my own little imaginary world every time I opened a book.

Interaction back in the 1980s was made up of bits of felt stuck into books, which were supposed to be caterpillars etc. Or towards the end of the decade, smellivision — for those of you too young to remember this, it definitely didn't work.

So yes, technology is a marvellous thing, but I hope it doesn't rob the generation below of some of the best things in life, which they can only access with their imaginations.