EXTON, PA — Families wondering whether their children really need a smartphone will get a chance to handle the alternatives, ask questions, and explore different approaches to technology at a free regional event coming to Chester County.
The Greater Philadelphia Alternative Device Fair will bring device vendors, researchers, educators, and parents together Nov. 8 at the Oscar Lasko PARC Building in Exton. Organized by PA Unplugged with partner groups, the event will showcase simpler communication devices, phone locks, and other tools intended to give families more choices over how and when children connect digitally.
Visitors will be able to compare products and speak directly with exhibitors about options that fit their families. The fair is not limited to children’s technology, with tools for adults interested in changing their own digital habits also expected to be available.
The afternoon will include presentations offering parenting strategies and research on children and technology. Jill Anderson, who holds a master’s degree in educational psychology and has 20 years of classroom experience, will discuss approaches to helping families, schools and communities navigate technology use.
Researchers from Angela Duckworth’s lab at the University of Pennsylvania will also participate, sharing findings from surveys of educators and discussing what happens in schools when phones are removed.
“Mounting evidence shows that delaying smartphones is a key lever in supporting healthy brain development for children,” PA Unplugged co-founder and co-lead Alex Bird Becker said.
Organizer Loretta Cohen, a social worker who brings an addiction-prevention perspective to the program, will address screen use and technology choices within families.
“Parents today have tough choices to make when it comes to technology in their homes and these companies are making it easier,” Cohen said.
Event Details
- What: Greater Philadelphia Alternative Device Fair
- When: Sunday, November 8, 2026, from 2–5 p.m.
- Where: Oscar Lasko PARC Building, One Scouting Way, Exton, PA
- Cost/Tickets: Free; advance registration is encouraged and provides additional raffle tickets for kid-friendly products
- More Info: https://tinyurl.com/PHLaltdevicefair
Children will have their own supervised games and crafts during the event, allowing parents and caregivers time to explore the exhibitors and presentations.
The Chester County gathering is being organized by PA Unplugged alongside partner organizations and grassroots groups including West Chester Unplugged and Wait Until 8th Phoenixville.
PA Unplugged is a registered nonprofit organization focused on encouraging real-world connection and advocating for cultural norms and policies that place limits around technology use.
For families who are not ready to hand over a conventional smartphone — or simply want to know what other options exist — the Exton fair is designed as a place to see those alternatives firsthand rather than navigate the decision alone. More information about PA Unplugged is available at paunplugged.org.
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