The aisles were like a maze. Each one I went through I picked up another toy, begging my mom to put it in the basket. Aisles of puzzles, gadgets, Lego sets and coloring books seemingly went on for eternity.

The Toys R Us experience is one that Generation Y is much less likely to experience. Their toy shopping now happens in the app store with a click of a button.

Last week, Toys R Us filed for bankruptcy in an attempt to absolve its long-term debt of $5 billion. They will continue operations as normal and work with creditors to pay off their debt. According to Cowen, a financial services firm, 41 percent of toys are expected to be purchased online this year. That’s almost double the percentage of toys bought online in 2009.

This shift in shopping marks the end of the era of play as we know it. While it’s sad to see a once-thriving business go under, the bankruptcy of Toys R Us has deeper implications.

Toys aren’t going anywhere and kids will still be kids, but Generation Y is redefining play. When I ask my nieces if they want to play sometimes they reach for the dolls and Barbies, other times they reach for the iPad. Their idea of play becomes coloring on the tablet, launching angry birds and scrolling through YouTube videos of other people playing with mini food kits or dolls.

The toy-selling corporate giant Toys R Us plans to revamp, but it will be an uphill battle.

The first hurdle Toys R Us must tackle are the parents. Sites like Amazon provide moms and dads the ability to buy toys from the palm of their hands, which makes it possible for them to fix dinner or get the much-needed rest. The one-click feature also cancels out the potential toy store tantrums.

The excessive amount of one-click ordering has an effect on hurdle number two; screen-time. Young children’s screen usage is significantly influenced by their mothers’ screen-time, according to a five year-long study from the International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity.

When my parents told me to “go play,” I went outside or to a friend’s house. Now, children simply reach for their iPad or iPhone. According to Nielson, a global information, data, and measurement company, 77 percent of parents surveyed said their children play downloaded games on their tablets. In the past decade, the tablet has had profound effects on parenting, education and childhood. The bankruptcy of Toys R Us is proof tablets have changed how children play.

Time spent playing enables children to explore their environments, develop social skills and a wide range of responses to the imaginary and semi-real situations they create. For example, imagination and communication skills are needed to make up games and communicate how to play them. When their friend doesn’t play fair, they are forced to communicate and problem solve. Replacing traditional play time with an app is doing injustice to a child.

There’s no denying that the addiction of screen-time, and we see that through the bankruptcy of Toys R Us. The power of the screen isn’t always in a positive direction.

According to The International Study of Childhood Obesity, Lifestyle and the Environment, two common correlates of higher sedentary time and screen time was poor weight status and not meeting physical activity guidelines.

While children drawing and playing matching games on an iPad is not considered social media, the pervasiveness of the technology in their life can lead to earlier use of social media.

Many times, I am also the zombie behind the iPhone, but this is where the “do as I say not as I do” adage comes into play. I’ve had a smartphone since the eighth grade, but I’ve also got to experience the greatness that is Toys R Us.

Parents and educators need to make better, more informed choices about screen time versus traditional play. While it is easier to hand a kid an iPad, the potential long-term effects are far worse. Plus, Toys R Us is an iconic childhood experience. We can’t let it die.

Breanna Smith is a 21-year-old mass communication senior from Baton Rouge, Louisiana.